The U.S. Sunflower Seed Situation

The sunflower appears to have established itself firmly as an oilseed crop in the United States. The confectioner’s, or birdseed, variety has been produced in increasingly larger quantities for several decades. In 1967 large-scale production of oilseed varieties began in the Red River Valley areas of North Dakota and Minnesota, in response to the growing demand for edible oils, both domestic and foreign. This demand for the Northern sunflower oil centers in its high ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids, which makes it a premium oil for use in food fat products such as margarine, mayonnaise, and salad oils. More recently, a strong interest has been expressed by food processors for Southern sunflower oil, which contains an unusually high percentage of oleic acid, and a high degree of cooking stability when used for deep fat frying. About 7,000 acres of sunflowers were planted in 1974 in the High Plains of Texas. With current demand in excess of supply, and with sunflower seed prices at 2 to 3 times the level of past seasons, expansion in plantings is expected in both the northern and southern production areas after 1974.