Four Countries, 77% of the Crop: the 2024 Scoreboard
Sunflower seed is one of the most concentrated field crops in the EU. In 2024 the EU-27 harvested 8 362.1 thousand tonnes, and the top of the table changed hands: Hungary led with 1 799.0 thousand tonnes, or 21.5% of EU output.
Bulgaria came second at 1 644.7 thousand tonnes (19.7%), Romania third at 1 508.0 (18.0%) and France fourth at 1 479.8 (17.7%). Together those four countries grew 76.9% of the EU sunflower crop.
Spain follows at 831.6 thousand tonnes (9.9%), and the field then falls away sharply. For Romania the 2024 ranking is new territory: seven straight years as the EU's largest sunflower producer ended in 2021, and by 2024 it sat third.
All values in 1 000 t. Share of the EU-27 total (8 362.1 thousand tonnes) in 2024, dataset apro_cpsh1.
| Country | 2024 production (1 000 t) | Share of EU | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hungary | 1 799.0 | 21.5% | 1 |
| Bulgaria | 1 644.7 | 19.7% | 2 |
| Romania | 1 508.0 | 18.0% | 3 |
| France | 1 479.8 | 17.7% | 4 |
| Spain | 831.6 | 9.9% | 5 |
Seven Years of Romania, Then Three Different Crowns
The decade splits into two halves. From 2015 to 2021 Romania was the EU's largest sunflower producer in every single year, peaking at 3 569.2 thousand tonnes in 2019 — more than twice Hungary's 1 706.9 thousand tonnes that season.
Then the sequence broke. Bulgaria led in 2022, France in 2023 and Hungary in 2024. Over the same three years Romania's output fell from 2 843.5 thousand tonnes in 2021 to 2 106.6 in 2022, 2 015.6 in 2023 and 1 508.0 in 2024.
Hungary's line has the opposite shape: never the leader before 2024, but never far from the top either. It stayed between 1 286.2 (in 2022) and 2 022.3 thousand tonnes (in 2017) across the decade, and its 2024 result of 1 799.0 was second only to 2023 among the last seven years.
Year-by-year EU sunflower leader and the two rivals' production, dataset apro_cpsh1, window 2015-2024.
| Year | EU leader | Romania (1 000 t) | Hungary (1 000 t) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Romania | 1 785.8 | 1 557.0 |
| 2016 | Romania | 2 032.3 | 1 875.4 |
| 2017 | Romania | 2 912.7 | 2 022.3 |
| 2018 | Romania | 3 062.7 | 1 830.3 |
| 2019 | Romania | 3 569.2 | 1 706.9 |
| 2020 | Romania | 2 122.9 | 1 698.0 |
| 2021 | Romania | 2 843.5 | 1 757.7 |
| 2022 | Bulgaria | 2 106.6 | 1 286.2 |
| 2023 | France | 2 015.6 | 1 970.2 |
| 2024 | Hungary | 1 508.0 | 1 799.0 |
Round by Round: Volume, Land and Yield
On total volume the two are close: Hungary 1 799.0 thousand tonnes against Romania's 1 508.0 in 2024 — a gap of 291.0 thousand tonnes, or 19.3% of Romania's crop.
On yield they are not close at all. Hungary's 2024 harvest came from 674.1 thousand hectares, a rate of 2.67 tonnes per hectare. Romania's came from 1 243.3 thousand hectares, or 1.21 t/ha — less than half of Hungary's seed per hectare.
Romania's land also moved against its output. Its sunflower area rose from 1 011.5 thousand hectares in 2015 to 1 243.3 thousand in 2024, a gain of 22.9%, while production fell 15.6% over the same window. Hungary added far less land — 611.6 to 674.1 thousand hectares, up 10.2% — and still raised its output 15.5%.
Romania and Hungary sunflower seed indicators, 2015-2024. Yield = production ÷ area, rounded to two decimals, dataset apro_cpsh1.
| Indicator | Romania | Hungary |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 production (1 000 t) | 1 508.0 | 1 799.0 |
| 2015 production (1 000 t) | 1 785.8 | 1 557.0 |
| Net change 2015-2024 | −15.6% | +15.5% |
| CAGR 2015-2024 | −1.86%/yr | +1.62%/yr |
| 2024 area (1 000 ha) | 1 243.3 | 674.1 |
| Area change 2015-2024 | +22.9% | +10.2% |
| 2024 yield (t/ha) | 1.21 | 2.67 |
| Peak year (1 000 t) | 2019 — 3 569.2 | 2017 — 2 022.3 |
The Big Four Block: 76.9% of the EU Crop
Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and France grew 6 431.5 of the EU-27's 8 362.1 thousand tonnes of sunflower seed in 2024 — 76.9% of the union's crop.
That block is roughly 3.3 times the combined output of the other 23 member states, which share the remaining 23.1%. Across 2015-2024 the EU-27 crop itself rose only 5.7%, from 7 908.3 to 8 362.1 thousand tonnes.
Spain is the only country outside the block anywhere near it, at 831.6 thousand tonnes (9.9%). Every other sunflower grower in the EU divides the final 13.2% of the crop.
The 2024 sunflower Big Four. Shares of the EU-27 total of 8 362.1 thousand tonnes, dataset apro_cpsh1.
| Country | 2024 production (1 000 t) | Share of EU |
|---|---|---|
| Hungary | 1 799.0 | 21.5% |
| Bulgaria | 1 644.7 | 19.7% |
| Romania | 1 508.0 | 18.0% |
| France | 1 479.8 | 17.7% |
| Big Four combined | 6 431.5 | 76.9% |
Tie-Breakers and Stability: Why the Crown Moved
Romania's coefficient of variation over 2015-2024 is 26.0%: its series ran from a 2019 peak of 3 569.2 down to 1 508.0 thousand tonnes in 2024, a 2.4-fold span.
Hungary's CV is 11.5%, less than half of Romania's. Its trend also points up — +1.62% per year compound against Romania's −1.86% — and where Romania ends the decade 15.6% below its 2015 level, Hungary ends 15.5% above it.
The tie-breakers are therefore measurable ones: yield (2.67 versus 1.21 t/ha), volatility (CV 11.5% versus 26.0%) and trend direction (up versus down). On the 2024 numbers the crown sits with the higher yield and the steadier series.
Stability and growth indicators for the two sunflower rivals, dataset apro_cpsh1, window 2015-2024.
| Indicator | Romania | Hungary |
|---|---|---|
| CV 2015-2024 | 26.0% | 11.5% |
| Net change 2015-2024 | −15.6% | +15.5% |
| CAGR 2015-2024 | −1.86%/yr | +1.62%/yr |
| 2024 yield (t/ha) | 1.21 | 2.67 |
| Best year (1 000 t) | 2019 — 3 569.2 | 2017 — 2 022.3 |
| 2024 ranking | 3rd | 1st |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country produces the most sunflower seed in the EU?
Hungary, with 1 799.0 thousand tonnes in 2024 — 21.5% of the EU-27 total. Bulgaria followed at 1 644.7 thousand tonnes (19.7%) and Romania third at 1 508.0 (18.0%).
How long did Romania lead EU sunflower production?
Seven consecutive years, from 2015 to 2021, peaking at 3 569.2 thousand tonnes in 2019. Bulgaria led in 2022, France in 2023 and Hungary in 2024.
How do Romania and Hungary compare on yield?
In 2024 Hungary produced 2.67 tonnes per hectare against Romania's 1.21 t/ha — more than twice as much seed per hectare, on 674.1 versus 1 243.3 thousand hectares.
Which of the two is the more stable producer?
Hungary, clearly: its coefficient of variation over 2015-2024 is 11.5% against Romania's 26.0%, and its output rose 15.5% across the decade while Romania's fell 15.6%.
Source data extracted from Eurostat dataset apro_cpsh1.
This article was generated using AI. The content is based on Eurostat data and is provided as a starting point — please verify all data with the original source.
