Sunflower oil production refers to the total quantity of edible oil extracted from sunflower seeds through various processing methods such as mechanical pressing, solvent extraction, and refining.
Africa Sunflower Oil Production was 786 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 2% on 2022. Africa’s sunflower oil production demonstrated steady growth between 2015 and 2023, supported by increasing sunflower cultivation, expanding agricultural activities, and rising demand for edible oils. Regional production increased from 682.79 thousand tonnes in 2015 to 785.98 thousand tonnes in 2023.
Africa Sunflower Oil Production moved from 682.8 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 786 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+15.1%), an average of +1.8% a year. The series high was 808.4 Thousand Tonnes in 2021 and the low 674.1 Thousand Tonnes in 2016.
The gap between the series high (2021) and low (2016) is 134.3 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +11.8% in 2020.
Within Africa, Tanzania has the highest value in 2023 at 326.9 Thousand Tonnes, 41.6% of the regional total.
Country ranking
Thousand Tonnes. Sort by any column, or search for a country.
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| Rank↕ | Country↕ | Share of top | Thousand Tonnes↕ | vs 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tanzania | 326.9 | +4.1% | |
| 2 | South Africa | 252.7 | −8.1% |
By region
Thousand Tonnes, 2023. Each bar is that region's total.
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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| Year | Thousand Tonnes | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 786 | −2% |
| 2022 | 802.4 | −0.7% |
| 2021Peak | 808.4 | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 763.6 | +11.8% |
| 2019 | 683.2 | −10.4% |
| 2018 | 762.4 | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 747.9 | +11% |
| 2016 Trough | 674.1 | −1.3% |
| 2015 | 682.8 | — |
Data definition
Sunflower Oil Production — Sunflower oil production refers to the total quantity of edible oil extracted from sunflower seeds through various processing methods such as mechanical pressing, solvent extraction, and refining. It represents the annual output of sunflower-derived oil produced within a country or region and reflects the scale of sunflower cultivation, seed availability, processing capacity, and demand for sunflower-based edible oils. Sunflower oil production is an important agricultural and industrial indicator used to assess trends in oilseed farming, food supply chains, vegetable oil markets, and the overall performance of the sunflower oil industry.
The measurement of sunflower oil production includes the total volume of crude and refined sunflower oil produced from sunflower seeds during a specific period, typically measured in tonnes. It covers oil obtained from commercially cultivated sunflower crops used for food, cooking oil, food processing, and other industrial applications. The indicator includes production from agricultural farms, oil extraction facilities, and processing industries within the reporting country or region. It accounts for variations caused by changes in sunflower cultivation area, seed yields, processing efficiency, technological advancements, and market demand.
Sunflower oil production excludes the production of other vegetable oils such as soybean oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, and olive oil, even if they are processed or marketed alongside sunflower oil. It does not include sunflower seed production itself, sunflower cultivation area, imports and exports of sunflower oil, oil consumption, or storage inventories. The indicator also excludes non-oil sunflower products such as sunflower meal, animal feed, and by-products generated during oil extraction, as well as informal or unreported production activities that are not captured in official agricultural and industrial statistics.
Sunflower Oil Production — Sunflower oil production refers to the total quantity of edible oil extracted from sunflower seeds through various processing methods such as mechanical pressing, solvent extraction, and refining. It represents the annual output of sunflower-derived oil produced within a country or region and reflects the scale of sunflower cultivation, seed availability, processing capacity, and demand for sunflower-based edible oils. Sunflower oil production is an important agricultural and industrial indicator used to assess trends in oilseed farming, food supply chains, vegetable oil markets, and the overall performance of the sunflower oil industry.
Production reached its highest level of 808.38 thousand tonnes in 2021, reflecting improved agricultural output, increased processing capacity, and stronger market demand. South Africa and Tanzania were among the key contributors to Africa’s sunflower oil industry during this period. South Africa maintained a significant role due to its developed agricultural sector, commercial sunflower farming, and established oil processing infrastructure. Tanzania also showed strong growth, increasing production from 240.00 thousand tonnes in 2015 to 326.90 thousand tonnes in 2023, supported by expanding sunflower cultivation and rising domestic consumption. Other African countries contributed additional production through small and medium-scale farming activities. The growth of sunflower oil production in Africa has been influenced by increasing food demand, population growth, agricultural development programs, and efforts to reduce dependence on imported edible oils. However, challenges such as limited processing facilities, climate variability, and lower agricultural productivity continue to affect production expansion. Sunflower oil production includes crude and refined oil extracted from sunflower seeds through mechanical pressing, solvent extraction, and refining processes. It covers production from farms, oil mills, and processing industries but excludes sunflower seed output, trade activities, consumption, and other vegetable oils. Continued investment in agricultural technology, irrigation systems, and processing infrastructure can support further development of Africa’s sunflower oil industry. Growing regional trade opportunities, improved farmer training programs, enhanced supply chain networks, and adoption of modern farming techniques are also expected to strengthen production efficiency and market competitiveness across African sunflower oil-producing regions.
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Sunflower oil production refers to the total quantity of edible oil extracted from sunflower seeds through various processing methods such as mechanical pressing, solvent extraction, and refining. It represents the annual output of sunflower-derived oil produced within a country or region and reflects the scale of sunflower cultivation, seed availability, processing capacity, and demand for sunflower-based edible oils. Sunflower oil production is an important agricultural and industrial indicator used to assess trends in oilseed farming, food supply chains, vegetable oil markets, and the overall performance of the sunflower oil industry.
Africa Sunflower Oil Production was 786 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 2% on 2022.
Africa Sunflower Oil Production moved from 682.8 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 786 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+15.1%), an average of +1.8% a year. The series high was 808.4 Thousand Tonnes in 2021 and the low 674.1 Thousand Tonnes in 2016.
The highest value was 808.4 Thousand Tonnes in 2021 and the lowest was 674.1 Thousand Tonnes in 2016.
Included: The measurement of sunflower oil production includes the total volume of crude and refined sunflower oil produced from sunflower seeds during a specific period, typically measured in tonnes. It covers oil obtained from commercially cultivated sunflower crops used for food, cooking oil, food processing, and other industrial applications. The indicator includes production from agricultural farms, oil extraction facilities, and processing industries within the reporting country or region. It accounts for variations caused by changes in sunflower cultivation area, seed yields, processing efficiency, technological advancements, and market demand. Excluded: Sunflower oil production excludes the production of other vegetable oils such as soybean oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, and olive oil, even if they are processed or marketed alongside sunflower oil. It does not include sunflower seed production itself, sunflower cultivation area, imports and exports of sunflower oil, oil consumption, or storage inventories. The indicator also excludes non-oil sunflower products such as sunflower meal, animal feed, and by-products generated during oil extraction, as well as informal or unreported production activities that are not captured in official agricultural and industrial statistics.
The series is sourced from Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?tab=table&overlay=download-data&Food=Sunflower+oil&Metric=Production&Per+capita=false&country=USA~DEU~FRA~GBR~BRA~ZAF%3BhideControls). It covers 2015–2023 and is reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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