Argentina's 2025/26 sunflower crop made history by setting simultaneous records for planted area, average yield and total production. Data released by the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange show a sharp expansion of the crop, consolidating the country's position as one of the main global players in the market for sunflower oil and derivatives.

The historic performance was driven by an expansion in planted area, favorable weather conditions in strategic regions and above-average yields across much of the crop area. According to the Argentine exchange, sunflower planted area reached 2.85 million hectares in the 2025/26 season, surpassing the previous record by 5.6%. That mark had been set in the 2007/08 crop year, when sunflower covered 2.7 million hectares.

Compared with the previous cycle, the expansion was even more pronounced, at 29.5%. The main increase occurred in Argentina's Northeast region, where planted area surged 224%. There was also significant growth in the provinces of Córdoba and north-central Santa Fe, reinforcing the oilseed's expansion in the country.

The crop cycle was marked by good water availability in northern and western Argentina, a factor that supported plant development and high yield potential. In parts of the country's central-east and southeast, however, water deficits recorded between January and February led to greater variation in crop yields.
 

Source: www.floraldaily.com