The Ukrainian crisis also hits the seed oil industry hard, particularly in the sunflower segment. Within a month, with the current consumption trend, stocks are destined to run out. The alarm comes from Assitol, the Italian Association of the Oil Industry, a member of Federalimentare and Confindustria.
“This conflict – warns Carlo Tampieri, president of the Association’s seed oils group – is doing a lot of harm to our sector, as well as to consumers, because makes it difficult to procure raw materials and, consequently, the activity of individual companies “.
The closure of ports on the Black Sea it blocked the trade of the two largest sunflower producers in the world, Ukraine and Russia, which supply European industry, including Italy, exclusively by sea. The ships carrying oil or sunflower seeds are all stationary, particularly at Mariupol and Odessa, nerve centers of trade by sea.
The sunflower is the essential basis of numerous production lines, food and non-food, of the Italian economy. They range from oil, appreciated by the food industry and in the bakery sector, to flours for zootechnical use and oleins, fundamental for the oleochemical and energy industry, for example for biodiesel, the industrial sector crosses different sectors, but equally important for our economy. In particular the annual consumption of sunflower oil is around 770,000 tons.
What is sunflower oil used for
It is used in the production of preserves, sauces, mayonnaise, spreadable condiments, all products intended for large food distribution. Moreover, the restaurant world prefers it for frying. The Italian pressing industry produces only 250,000 tons of crude oil: this is why the sector is mainly aimed at Ukraine, which together with Russia represents 60% of world sunflower oil production and about 75% of world exports of sunflower oil. this product, to find the missing quantities.
According to data processed by Assitol, starting from 2015, thanks to the increase in consumption, the share of imports of crude oil from Ukraine has grown, going from 54% to 63%. “These data reflect the weight of sunflower imports – underlines Tampieri – and the difficulty for the sector to move in a context of war, which sees transport blocked not only to and from Ukraine, but from all over the East Europe”.
From the beginning of the conflict to today, at least 50,000 tons of crude sunflower oil stopped in Ukrainian ports and never arrived in Italy. “If the war ceases in the next few days – Tampieri continues – returning to normal would still be complex. However, the situation could become even more complicated, if the conflict were to continue, because the sowing, scheduled for spring, would skip”.
From large-scale commercial distribution, where sunflower oil plays an important role, to lecithin, used in the confectionery and bread-making sector, to feed for animal husbandry, there are many sectors directly affected by supply difficulties. In order to be able to diversify supplies, at least in part, companies require time and, above all, to avoid measures that could affect oil companies, which are already in considerable difficulty.
“We invite the institutions to act reasonably. Any sanctions, such as duties or, worse, import bans, would be harmful not only for our sector, but for the entire Italian agri-food chain, at the same time causing a strong negative backlash on Ukraine “, concludes Tampieri. (