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.
China Sunflower Oil Production was 322.9 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, up 6.2% on 2022. China is one of the world's largest agricultural producers and has a highly developed edible oil industry, although sunflower oil represents a relatively small share compared with soybean, rapeseed, peanut, and palm oils. Between 2015 and 2023, China's sunflower oil production followed an overall declining trend.
China Sunflower Oil Production moved from 615.2 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 322.9 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (−47.5%), an average of −7.7% a year. The series high was 615.2 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 and the low 252 Thousand Tonnes in 2018.
The gap between the series high (2015) and low (2018) is 363.2 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was −56.3% in 2016.
Among the 24 countries in this dataset, China ranks 10 for 2023, behind Russia (7,039 Thousand Tonnes) and Ukraine (6,044 Thousand Tonnes). It accounts for 1425.3% of the global total in 2023.
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Tonnes.
Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.
| Year | Thousand Tonnes | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 322.9 | +6.2% |
| 2022 | 304.1 | +13% |
| 2021 | 269 | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 258.1 | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 254.2 | +0.9% |
| 2018 Trough | 252 | −1.8% |
| 2017 | 256.6 | −4.5% |
| 2016 | 268.6 | −56.3% |
| 2015Peak | 615.2 | — |
Regional context
Sunflower Oil Production by country, 2023, Thousand Tonnes. China is highlighted.
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 stood at 615.17 thousand tonnes in 2015, before falling sharply to 268.60 thousand tonnes in 2016 and 256.60 thousand tonnes in 2017. Output remained relatively stable at 252.00 thousand tonnes in 2018, 254.20 thousand tonnes in 2019, 258.10 thousand tonnes in 2020, and 269.00 thousand tonnes in 2021. Production recovered moderately to 304.10 thousand tonnes in 2022 and further increased to 322.90 thousand tonnes in 2023, although it remained significantly below the 2015 level. The decline reflects shifts in crop allocation, competition from higher-demand oilseed crops, and changes in domestic agricultural priorities. China continues to prioritize soybean and rapeseed cultivation due to stronger domestic demand and broader industrial applications. Despite lower domestic sunflower oil production, the country maintains a large processing and refining industry supported by advanced infrastructure and a substantial food manufacturing sector. Sunflower oil remains popular for cooking, food processing, and packaged edible oil products because of its light taste and favorable nutritional profile. Domestic production is influenced by factors including sunflower cultivation area, seed yields, weather conditions, technological improvements, and processing efficiency. Future production may benefit from improved sunflower varieties, modern farming practices, and increasing consumer demand for healthier vegetable oils. However, sunflower oil is expected to remain a niche segment within China's much larger edible oil industry, with imports continuing to complement domestic production and satisfy growing consumption requirements.
Using this data in a report, paper or presentation? Copy a formatted citation.
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.
China Sunflower Oil Production was 322.9 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, up 6.2% on 2022.
China Sunflower Oil Production moved from 615.2 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 322.9 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (−47.5%), an average of −7.7% a year. The series high was 615.2 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 and the low 252 Thousand Tonnes in 2018.
The highest value was 615.2 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 and the lowest was 252 Thousand Tonnes in 2018.
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.
Need more data?
Need a longer historical series, a custom country set, additional dimensions, or a tailored dataset? Send us your requirement.