The seed industry is seeing significant shifts as 2025 begins. Changes in cultivation trends, production forecasts, and market demands are creating new challenges for sesame, sunflower, and mustard seeds. Here’s an overview of the current situation for each:
Sesame Seeds: Facing Production Pressures
The sesame seed market is grappling with low domestic and international demand, causing downward pressure on prices. In India, one of the largest producers, sesame seed exports are priced at $1,955 per metric ton (CIF Hamburg). However, traders are signaling that without reduced sowing in the upcoming Kharif season, prices are unlikely to improve.
Moreover, erratic weather patterns, including heavy rains, have impacted yields, pushing farmers to rethink their cultivation strategies. This uncertainty could influence planting decisions and long-term production.
Sunflower Seeds: A Slow Start
Global sunflower seed production is forecast to drop by 10% for the 2024-25 season. This decline is heavily tied to reduced outputs in major producing regions like Ukraine and Russia. The lower harvest is already having a ripple effect on related markets, with sunflower oil production expected to decrease by 10% and exports projected to fall by 14%.
Ending global sunflower oil stocks could dip to 2.23 million metric tons by September 2025, marking one of the lowest inventory levels in recent years. This situation is creating concerns for buyers and producers alike as the year unfolds.
Mustard Seeds: Cultivation on the Decline
In Canada, mustard seed cultivation is projected to drop significantly, with planted acreage expected to fall by 25.5% compared to the previous year, totaling 445,000 acres. Farmers are shifting away from mustard due to lower potential returns when compared to alternative crops.
In India, despite government targets to boost mustard production to 17 million tonnes by 2025-26, actual outputs remain much lower, averaging just 7.7 million tonnes annually. This gap underscores the challenges in scaling up production to meet growing demand.
These shifts in sesame, sunflower, and mustard seed markets highlight the impact of global economic and environmental factors on agricultural production. Farmers, buyers, and market stakeholders will need to adapt quickly to these evolving conditions to navigate the challenges of 2025.
Sources:
- Mundus Agri. (2025). Sesame seeds: Consequences for cultivation. Retrieved from https://www.mundus-agri.eu
- Farm Progress. (2025). Global sunflower production to decline in 2025. Retrieved from https://www.farmprogress.com
- Syngenta Canada. (2025). More Canadian pea, lentil acres seen in 2025. Retrieved from https://www.syngenta.ca
- Down to Earth. (2022). Lucrative rabi mustard: Farmers may reap good prices despite bumper output. Retrieved from https://www.downtoearth.org.in