Worldwide production of oilseeds is expected to reach a record level in 2025/26, according to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) data reported by Germany’s Union for the Promotion of Plants and Protein (UFOP).
The rise in output was mainly due to bumper rapeseed harvests and higher production of palm kernel and sunflowerseed, which more than offset an anticipated decline in soyabean supply, the 21 November report said.
According to the USDA’s projections – published following the provisional end to the US government shutdown – oilseed output for the 2025/26 crop year is expected to reach a record of around 688M tonnes, a year-on-year increase of around 0.6%.
The estimate also included peanuts (approximately 51.3M tonnes), cottonseed (approximately 41.5M tonnes), copra (5.9M tonnes) and other oil crops, UFOP said.
Global oilseed processing was also forecast to reach a new record of 578.4M tonnes, a rise of 12.3M tonnes from the previous crop year.
Worldwide ending stocks were expected to total 142.3M tonnes, exceeding the previous year’s level by 0.6M tonnes.
Global trade in oilseeds was projected to remain virtually unchanged at 214.5M tonnes.
“The ongoing US-China trade dispute has particularly impacted trade in US soyabeans in recent weeks. It remains to be seen whether the USDA’s expectation of a recovery in US exports to China will be reflected in the current financial year’s trade balance,” UFOP said.
The rapeseed harvest was expected to total approximately 92.3M tonnes in the current crop year, marking an all-time high and a year-on-year increase of more than 7%.
Next year, Tajikistan will introduce tax and customs benefits for wheat and oilseed processors. These preferences are stipulated in the draft law “On the State Budget of the Republic of Tajikistan for 2026.”
Specifically, a reduced value-added tax rate of 10% (the standard VAT rate is 14%) will be introduced in 2026 for enterprises processing oilseeds and selling vegetable oils. A similar rate will also apply to processors and sellers of processed wheat.
An even lower VAT rate of 7% will be introduced for the sale of cake and meal (feed for poultry and livestock).
It was previously reported that Tajikistan meets only 21% of the population’s vegetable oil needs. According to nutritional standards, the country’s population requires more than 150,000 tons of vegetable oil annually. The 72 companies involved in the production of this product have the capacity to produce 25,000-30,000 tons of butter per year. In the coming years, the republic plans to increase butter production by 20% and reduce imports of this product by 7%.
Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov discussed with Iran’s Minister of Agricultural Jihad Gholamreza Nouri Ghazaljeh the expansion of exports of sunflower oil from Kazakhstan to Iran.
As specified by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture, in 2024, 5.9 thousand tons of this product were shipped to Iran, while Kazakh processors are ready to increase volumes to 500.000 tons per year. An important step toward this will be the construction of oil-loading terminals in the ports of Kuryk and Aktau, which will increase throughput capacity and optimize logistics.
In addition, the Iranian company Kourosh Food Industry expressed interest in establishing facilities in Kazakhstan for processing oilseeds, developing poultry production, and building logistics infrastructure.
The head of the Iranian agricultural authority confirmed Iran’s readiness to expand cooperation in these areas.
Despite the prolonged decline in palm and soybean oil prices, sunflower oil prices have stabilized as the market expects a decrease in sunflower supply in Ukraine and the EU this season, so processors are actively building up stocks, hoping for a resumption of vegetable oil price growth in the future.
During the week, demand prices for sunflower oil in Ukraine remained at $1,220–1,230/t (-$30/t per month) for delivery to ports in December, and prices for deliveries to India were at $1,300–1,310/t CIF Mumbai, although palm oil prices fell by 5.5% amid a slowdown in exports.
The weather in Ukraine, especially excessive rains in the west, does not allow for the completion of harvesting of late crops, which leads to yield losses and a decrease in the quality of harvested sunflower.
As of November 20, 9.01 million tons of sunflower were harvested in Ukraine from 4.74 million hectares or 92% of the area (+2% per week) with a yield of 1.88 tons/hectare (last year at this time, 10.07 million tons were harvested from 97% of the area with a yield of 2.08 tons/hectare).
Processors expect that the last million tons of sunflower that farmers will harvest will have a high acid number, so in their calculations they are focusing on a harvest of about 9 million tons and are not reducing purchase prices, despite the rather high stocks at the factories.
Purchase prices for sunflower increased by 200-300 UAH/t per week to 28,400-29,000 UAH/t or $590-600/t excluding VAT (for 50% oil content) with delivery to the plant, although some plants are experiencing disruptions in reception due to constant air alarms and power outages.
WASHINGTON, DC, US — Developing new market opportunities for US agricultural products is the focus of a new funding program announced by the Foreign Agricultural Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) that has garnered wide support from associations representing the US grains and oilseeds industries.
Details of the $285 million America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP) recently were announced by Michelle Bekkering, USDA deputy undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, at a meeting of the US Ag Export Development Council (USADEC).
The AFTPP is designed to complement existing market development programs, including the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program.
“We need to look at where we have market share and how to increase that market share,” Bekkering said. “Then identify where we face trade barriers and remove those and finally identify where our next markets are going to be.”
The American Soybean Association (ASA), the US Soybean Export Council (USSEC), and ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) expressed strong support for the AFTPP, saying it “offers a timely and strategic opportunity to bolster US soybean export development in non-traditional markets for American farmers.”
“This funding mechanism reflects a clear commitment to expanding the global footprint of US agriculture,” said Caleb Ragland, president of the ASA. “For US soybean growers, the AFTPP offers renewed momentum behind efforts to work with new markets, deepen existing relationships, and keep American-grown soy at the forefront of global feed and food chains.”
Palm oil imports into the European Union (EU) continue to decline, according to EU Commission (EC) figures reported by Germany’s Union for the Promotion of Plants and Protein (UFOP).
The decline was due to the exclusion of palm oil-based biofuels being credited towards national quota obligations, alongside an increase in imports of waste oils and fats for use in transport fuel production, the 12 November report said.
According to EC import figures, EU-27 countries imported nearly 958,000 tonnes of palm oil between 1 July-2 November 2025 – a drop of around 20% compared to the same period the previous year.
Malaysia remained the leading supplier, supplying 272,000 tonnes and accounting for 28% of total imports – a slight increase in the country’s exports compared to the reference period.
Indonesia ranked second with 261,000 tonnes, marking a sharp decline.
The Netherlands remained the leading hub for European palm oil trading and a key location for biofuel production. At 353,000 tonnes, the country imported around 12% more palm oil than in the same period the previous year.
Italy took second place among importing countries, importing 303,000 tonnes, an 8% decrease.
Greece recorded the sharpest decline (-91%), followed by Sweden (-37%) and Denmark (-30%). Germany imported 78,000 tonnes, down 13% year-on-year.
Belgium and Spain slightly increased import volumes. According to research by Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (AMI), the two countries, along with the Netherlands, are among the few EU countries showing an upward import trend.
According to UFOP the continued decline in imports reflects public debate on palm oil.
Market Size and Growth
The global lecithin and phospholipids market was valued at approximately USD 6.2 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach around USD 10.3 billion by 2031, reflecting a robust CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period of 2024-2031.
United States: Recent Lecithin & Phospholipids Developments
- ✅ Non-GMO and Clean-Label Trends - U.S. manufacturers are increasingly producing non-GMO and organic lecithin, including sunflower- and enzyme-modified lecithin, to meet consumer demand for natural, clean-label ingredients in food, beverages, and supplements.
- ✅ Expansion in Dietary Supplements Lecithin is being widely adopted in liposomal and phospholipid-rich dietary supplements for improved bioavailability, with new allergen-free and non-GMO formulations introduced.
- ✅ Egg-Yolk Lecithin Growth - Egg-yolk lecithin is gaining traction in the U.S. market for bakery, confectionery, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical applications, diversifying lecithin sources beyond soy.
- ✅ Fractionated Lecithin & High-Purity Products - Manufacturers are investing in high-purity phospholipid extraction and fractionation technologies to meet functional requirements for food, pharma, and cosmetic applications.
- ✅ Sustainability Initiatives - Companies are emphasizing traceable, sustainable lecithin production aligned with clean-label trends and environmental compliance.
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Leander, Texas and TOKYO, Japan - Nov. 24. 2025
Global De-Oiled Lecithin Market reached US$ 220.6 million in 2023 and is expected to reach US$ 388.5 million by 2031, growing with a CAGR of 7.33% during the forecast period 2024-2031.
Recent Industry Developments - Global De-Oiled Lecithin Market
- 🔹 October 2025 - Surge in Non-GMO, Clean-Label Ingredient Demand Global food & nutraceutical manufacturers are accelerating the use of non-GMO and allergen-free de-oiled lecithin to meet rising clean-label expectations. Companies are reformulating bakery, dairy, and infant-nutrition products with powdered lecithin to improve stability and emulsification efficiency without compromising regulatory compliance.
- 🔹 September 2025 - Expansion of Sustainable Soy Lecithin Processing Key producers in the U.S., Brazil, and India are scaling up sustainable soy processing and solvent-free extraction technologies. This transition is boosting output purity levels (≥97% phospholipids) and supporting the adoption of plant-based functional ingredients across food, beverages, and feed sectors.
- 🔹 June 2025 - Pharmaceutical Grade & Nutraceutical Applications Gain Momentum Growing clinical research validating lecithin's benefits in lipid metabolism, cognitive support, and liver health is driving demand for high purity, de-oiled lecithin in supplements and drug formulations. Multiple manufacturers have expanded GMP-certified production facilities to target premium-grade opportunities.
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