According to the World Agricultural Production Report released by the US Department of Agriculture in August, EU's sunflower seed yield in 2018/19 was estimated at 9.7 million tons, which was 600,000 tons or 7% higher than the previous month's forecast, basically being the same as last year.
　　According to the report, the 2018/19 EU's sunflower seed sown area was to be 4.3 million hectares, which was 100,000 hectares higher than the previous month's forecast, being the same as the previous year. The yield was Expected to be 2.24 tons/ha, which was 5% higher than the previous month's forecast, being the same as the previous year and 9% higher than the five-year average.
　　Sunflower seed production was concentrated in the southeast and south-central EU countries, especially Romania and Bulgaria, where production figures increased 300,000 tons and 100,000 tons, respectively. In addition, production figures for Hungary and Serbia (non-EU member states) increased 100,000 tons respectively. This year's weather in Spain was exceptionally good and rainfall was sufficient, so production figures increased 200,000 tons. Due to the drought, the production figures in French decreased by 100,000 tons.