Russia to boost sunflower oil exports to India

By Admin

11 Oct, 2025

Russia, the world’s leading producer of sunflower oil, is preparing to ramp up exports to India as part of a strategic move to fill the gap left by Ukraine’s shifting trade focus toward Europe. According to a Reuters report quoting the state agricultural export agency Agroexport, this development marks a significant strengthening of agricultural trade ties between Moscow and New Delhi.

India, already one of the largest importers of edible oils globally, has maintained a strong trading relationship with Russia despite international pressure. In recent years, India has been a major buyer of Russian energy, and the latest move comes as the USA imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, prompting India to diversify and seek alternative trading partners.

“Russia may strengthen its position in sunflower oil exports to the Indian market in the 2025/26 season. This could occur as Ukrainian suppliers shift their focus from Asia to Europe,” Agroexport said in a statement.

According to Dmitry Rylko, head of consultancy IKAR, Russia is expected to export a record 5 million tonnes of sunflower oil in the 2025/26 season, with India projected to account for nearly one-third of the total. The forecast comes amid an expected bumper sunflower crop, as Russian farmers increasingly turn away from wheat traditionally the country’s largest agricultural export due to lower profitability.

Mikhail Maltsev, head of Russia’s Oils and Fats Union, said vegetable oil production, including sunflower, soyabean, and rapeseed oil, would rise by 7.5% this year to exceed 10.5 million tonnes, marking another record year for Russian agricultural exports.

India currently imports sunflower and soyabean oil from Argentina, Brazil, Russia, and Ukraine. An Indian government source confirmed that “India is the world’s biggest importer of edible oils and is open to the idea of increasing sunflower oil imports from Russia.”

With trade tensions reshaping global supply chains, this growing partnership between India and Russia could further solidify their economic cooperation while ensuring a stable supply of essential commodities in the coming years.