KYIV, April 17 – Ukrainian sunflower oil producers may have to halt their operations if Russia continues its shelling of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, which is already in a critical state following the spring attacks by Russia, according to the Pusk analytical cooperative, established within the framework of the Ukrainian Agrarian Council (UAC).

"In April, Ukraine exported 46,000 tons of sunflower seeds, with Romania and Bulgaria being the main buyers. Sunflower seeds are now in very short supply in Ukraine, and sunflower oil may face certain shortages in May and June. However, this scarcity may not lead to price increases, as global markets are witnessing a decline in prices for vegetable oils, including both soybean and palm oil. Another influencing factor on the market is the Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. Most crushing plants operate on electricity. While almost all crushers have diesel generators, switching to them is impractical due to the rising cost of production," said the analysts.