10 World’s Biggest Sunflower Seed Producers- According to FAO Statistical Corporate Database in 2022, there are 10 World’s Biggest Sunflower Seed Producers in 2020. These countries have huge production of Sunflowers seeds. Maybe, some of the production of seed can be processed into sunflowers oil and some can be consumed into snack. Taxonomically, the sunflower can be classified into Division: Tracheophyta; Subdivision: Spermatophytina; Class: Magnoliopsida; Superorder: Asteranae; Order: Asterales; Family: Asteraceae; Genus: Helianthus L.; Species: Helianthus annuus L.
Statistically, according to FAO Statistical Corporate Database (FAOSTAT), in 2020, The production of sunflower seeds all over the world around 50.2 million tons with the harvested area of around 27.8 million hectares. Specifically, based on continent, the production of sunflower seed can be divided into some regions. But the central production still located in Europe with 36 million tons, followed by Asia region with 6 million tons, and Americas with 4.9 million tons. Furthermore, Africa and Oceania with 2.4 million tons and 10 thousand tons, respectively.
Based on the countries, there are some countries with the highest production of Sunflower seed. Here are the 10 World’s Biggest Sunflower Seed Producers in 2020. These data were obtained from FAO Statistical Database in 2022.
The Rank of World’s Biggest Sunflower Seed Producers
| Rank | Countries | Production of Sunflower Seed in 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| (Tonnes) | ||
| 1 | Russian Federation | 13,314,418 |
| 2 | Ukraine | 13,110,430 |
| 3 | Argentina | 3,232,649 |
| 4 | China, mainland | 2,375,000 |
| 5 | Romania | 2,198,670 |
| 6 | Türkiye | 2,067,004 |
| 7 | Bulgaria | 1,733,530 |
| 8 | Hungary | 1,697,960 |
| 9 | France | 1,607,080 |
| 10 | United States of America | 1,352,800 |
| Source : FAO Statistical Database (FAOSTAT), 2022 | ||
The Brief Description of World’s Biggest Sunflower Seed Producers
1.Russian Federation
Russia still became the biggest producer of Sunflower seed in 2020. According to FAO Statistical Corporate database in 2022, the production of Sunflower seed from this country reached 13,314,418 tons. Geographically, there are some regions in Russia that contribute the national production of sunflower seed. Kranodary territory, Rostov, Belgorod, Saratov, Voronezh regions are some of the production areas of sunflowers in Russia. In this country, the Sunflower manufacturer, i.e., MEZ”Yug Rusi”, became the major company that contributes major production of Sunflower oil in Russia.
2.Ukraine
Ukraine still became the second-biggest producer of sunflower seed in 2020. According to FAO Statistical Corporate database in 2022, the production of Sunflower seed from Ukraine reached 13,110,430 tons. Geographically, in this country, the main production area of sunflower seed is located in Kirovograd, Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk regions. Functionally, The Sunflower seed usually is processed into Sunflower Oil. Sunflower oil from Ukraine has been exported into several country regions.
3.Argentina
Argentina is the third biggest producer of Sunflower seed in 2020. According to FAO Statistical Database in 2022, the production of Sunflower seed from Argentina reached 3,232,649 tons. Geographically, there are main region of sunflower production in Argentina. Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, Cordoba, Santa Fe are some regions in Argentina that become main area of sunflower cultivation. Of all these regions above, Buenos Aires still became the major are production of Sunflower in Argentina. Most of sunflower seed production from Argentina would be processed into sunflower oil.
4.China, mainland
China is fourth-biggest producer of sunflower seed in 2020. According to FAO Statistical Database in 2022, the production from Mao Zedong’s country reached 2,375,000 tons. Geographically, sunflower production located in some provinces in China. These provinces are Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hebei, Gansu and Ningxia provinces. Based on the production from all provinces, Inner Mongolia still contributes more than other provinces with produce more than 30% of national sunflower seed production.
5.Romania
Romania still became one of the biggest producers of sunflower seed in the world. According to FAO Statistical Corporate Database in 2022, the production of sunflower seed from Romania reached 2,198,670 tons. Geographically, in Romania, there are some regions of sunflower production. These areas are Brăila, Constanța, and Tulcea regions Most of the sunflower seeds would process into sunflower oil. Functionally, Rumania exported some of its Sunflower oil production to other countries and consumed for domestic needs.
6.Türkiye
Turkiye is the 6th biggest producer of Sunflower seed in 2020. Statistically, the production of Sunflower seed from Turkiye reached 2,067,004 tons. Geographically, most of sunflower cultivation is in Trakya/Thrace Region. Meanwhile, the minority of cultivation area is located into South Marmara and Black Sea Regions. Statistically, because of huge consumption of sunflower oil, Turkey still imported sunflower oil from Argentina, Ukraine, Bulgaria ad others.
7.Bulgaria
Bulgaria is 7th biggest producer of sunflower seed in 2020. Statistically, the production of Bulgaria’s sunflower seed reached 1,733,530 tons. in this country, there are 700 thousand hectares of sunflower cultivation area. Some of harvested sunflower seed are processed into oil in manufacture around Polski Trambesh.
8.Hungary
Hungary is the 8th biggest producer of Sunflower seed in 2020. Based on the FAO Statistical Corporate Database in 2020, the production of Hungary’s sunflower seed reached 1,697,960 tons. Statistically, based on production, the sunflower is the third most important plant in Hungary. With this role, there are some regions in Hungary that become the main region of Sunflower. These regions are North Great Plane, South Great Plane, Northern Hungary, and Middle Transdanubia region.
9.France
France is the 9th biggest producer of Sunflower seed in 2020. According to FAO Statistical Database in 2020, the production of Sunflower seed from Napoleon Bonaparte’s country reached 1,607,080 tons. Provence region is one of the main growing areas of sunflower in France
10.United States of America
The United States of America still became the 10th biggest producer of Sunflower seed in 2020. Based on FAO Statistical Database, the production of Sunflower seed from the United States of America (USA) reached 1,352,800 tons. In this country, there are some states that have the biggest production of sunflowers. These states are South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Kansas.
Bibliography of World’s Biggest Sunflower Seed Producers
FAOSTAT. 2022. Production of Sunflower seed: top 10 producers 2020. Accessed via https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL/visualize on August 31st, 2022
