IKAR predicts a record 22 million hectares of oilseed crops in Russia in 2026.
Oilseed acreage is set to hit a record 22 million hectares this season, says the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies. Sunflower leads with fresh highs, rapeseed drives growth, and processing capacity is expanding. Flexible multi-seed plants are reshaping the market, reducing risk and boosting investment momentum.
Interest in oilseed crops could once again lead to a historic high in their cultivation. In its first forecast of the structure of cultivated areas, the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies (IKAR) estimated the total area under oilseeds in the current agricultural season at 22 million hectares.
IKAR General Director Dmitry Rylko announced this during the “Where is the Margin in 2026” conference. According to his estimates, the expansion of acreage under these crops is demonstrating a steady acceleration, particularly noticeable after 2021.
Sunflower remains the clear leader: its acreage could reach 11.35–11.65 million hectares, a new record, surpassing last year’s figures (11 million hectares). For soybeans, IKAR allows for a slight downward adjustment—to 4.6–4.7 million hectares, compared to 4.73 million hectares in 2025. Rapeseed will be the main driver of growth: farmers are likely to increase its plantings to 3.15–3.25 million hectares, up from 2.96 million hectares the previous year.
Against the backdrop of last season’s record gross harvest (according to Rosstat, 17 million tons of sunflower, 8.96 million tons of soybeans, and 5.6 million tons of rapeseed were harvested in 2025), the industry continues a large-scale investment cycle. According to Dmitry Rylko, oilseed processing capacity will increase by another 2-3 million tons over the next three years.
The key feature of the season, according to Rylko, is the versatility of production:
“Currently, only multi-color plants are being commissioned. This fundamentally changes the market: processors now have the ability to quickly switch between crops depending on market conditions and raw material availability,” the head of IKAR emphasized, noting that such flexibility significantly reduces business risks.
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