
Judgment axis | Key judgment |
| Item Identity | An oilseed crop of the Asteraceae family from which the mature seeds of *Helianthus annuus L.* are edible and extracted as oil. The USDA ARS describes the sunflower as a globally important oilseed crop. ( ARS ) |
| Key role | Production of edible sunflower seeds, hulled kernels, oilseed, sunflower crude oil, refined oil, and high-oleic oil |
| Harvesting principle | Harvests for food or oil production are determined based on flower head maturity, seed fullness, moisture content, and harvest loss. |
| Product separation | Confectionery manages seed, oilseed, hulled kernel, crude oil, refined oil, and mid/high oleic oil as separate products. |
| Separation of similar items | Although it is an oilseed crop like rapeseed, it differs in species, cultivation, seed structure, oil profile, and buyer. |
| Domestic production statistics | Domestic exclusive cultivation area and seed production of sunflowers for oilseed: To be entered after verification of official raw data. |
| World production | According to the latest USDA FAS production database, global sunflower seed production for the 2024/25 season is recorded at 53.02 million metric tons . ( USDA Foreign Agricultural Service ) |
| World 2025/26 Outlook | USDA ERS projected global sunflower seed production for MY 2025/26 as of April 2026 at 54.7 million metric tons and crush at 49.6 million metric tons . ( Economic Research Service ) |
| International market fluctuations | As the USDA FAS Oilseeds World Markets and Trade continues to revise its sunflower seed export and production forecasts by country for August 2026, Crop Year Runtime updates are required. ( USDA Foreign Agricultural Service ) |
| Maintenance Product | The USDA ARS has treated the differences in composition of conventional, mid-oleic, and high-oleic sunflower oil as an official subject of research. ( ARS ) |
| High oleic acid type | The USDA ARS has been breeding high-oleic sunflower lines separately based on criteria such as oleic acid content and oil quantity. ( ARS ) |
| Cultivation characteristics | The cultivation data for H. annuus on Nongsaroo indicates the importance of high temperature, sun requirements, and drainage; however, since the data is for cut flowers, it should not be directly applied as standard values for oilseed. ( Nongsaroo ) |
| Supply and demand risk | Weather, drought, pests and diseases, pollination, seed quality, harvest loss, oil content, fatty acid composition, milking yield, global production areas, logistics |
| Operating Principles | Species–Cultivar–Use Type–Seed Lot–Oil Content–Fatty Acid Profile–Crushing–Buyer RFQ Connection |
| Final goal | Connecting producers – sorting/peeling – oil extraction/refining – food manufacturing – catering/restaurant/distribution/PB buyers all the way to repurchase |
In the USDA ERS April 2026 forecast, global sunflower seed production for MY 2025/26 was projected at 54.7 million metric tons, and crush at 49.6 million metric tons. This demonstrates that sunflowers are a global oilseed commodity closely linked to the oil extraction industry rather than being merely a edible seed . ( Economic Research Service )
Basic fields | detail |
| Korean name | sunflower |
| English name | Sunflower / Common Sunflower |
| Representative scientific name | Helianthus annuus L. ( ARS ) |
| classification | Asteraceae, Helianthus |
| Edible parts | Seeds of mature fruits, shelled kernels, and oil extracted from seeds |
| Non-edible · Separate management | Stems, leaves, receptacles, seed coats, oilseed meal, etc., are managed separately according to their use. |
| Major harvesting stages | Flowering → Pollination → Seed Formation → Seed Enlargement → Physiological Maturation → Drying → Harvesting |
| Basic product form | In-shell Seed·Hulled Kernel·Oilseed·Crude Oil·Refined Oil·High Oleic Oil·Meal |
| Basic processing stage | Harvesting · Drying · Threshing · Sorting · Dehulling · Pressing/Extraction · Filtration · Refining · Filling |
| Basic use | Direct consumption, snacks, bakery, cereal, cooking oil, frying oil, food manufacturing, feed by-products |
| Principle of similar items | Classification of Ornamental, Confectionery, Oilseed, and High Oleic types into Cultivar/Use Type |
The USDA ARS manages cultivated sunflowers as Helianthus annuus L. and conducts separate research on regular sunflower oil and mid-oleic and high-oleic oils in terms of composition and industrial applications. ( ARS )
Product Master
Product ID | Actual product form | Key Management Standards |
| SUNFLOWER-P01 | seeds for cultivation | Cultivar·Oil/Confectionery Type·Germination Rate |
| SUNFLOWER-P02 | Achenes immediately after harvest | Maturity, moisture, foreign matter |
| SUNFLOWER-P03 | Dry In-shell Seed | Moisture, size, and fullness |
| SUNFLOWER-P04 | Confectionery Seed | Size, Appearance, Seed coat, Uniformity |
| SUNFLOWER-P05 | Molting Kernel | Molting Rate · Whole/Broken · Color |
| SUNFLOWER-P06 | Roasted sunflower seeds | Roast Level · Scent · Moisture |
| SUNFLOWER-P07 | Oilseed Grade Seed | Oil Content, Moisture, Foreign Matter |
| SUNFLOWER-P08 | Conventional Oilseed | Fatty Acid Profile · Oil Yield |
| SUNFLOWER-P09 | Mid-oleic oilseed | Oleic/Linoleic Profile |
| SUNFLOWER-P10 | High-oleic oilseed | Oleic Profile·Identity Preservation |
| SUNFLOWER-P11 | Crude Sunflower Oil | Crushing Lot · Yield · Quality |
| SUNFLOWER-P12 | Refined Sunflower Oil | Refining History · Edible Oil Standards |
| SUNFLOWER-P13 | High Oleic Sunflower Oil | Fatty Acid Profile · Oxidative Stability |
| SUNFLOWER-P14 | Bulk Food Oil | Tank Lot · Quality · Delivery Time |
| SUNFLOWER-P15 | Sunflower Meal/Cake | Protein, residual oil, moisture |
| SUNFLOWER-P16 | PB cooking oil and snacks | Origin · Lot · Labeling · Expiration Date |
Classification criteria | Subdivision type | Management principles |
| Plant classification | H. annuus | Plant Master |
| Other Helianthus | Wild and closely related species | Separate Species Entity |
| Cultivar | Ornament·Confectionery·Oilseed·High Oleic | Cultivar Master |
| production purpose | Cut flowers, stems, edible seeds, oil extraction | Use Type |
| Harvesting stage | For flowering, immature seeds, and ripe seeds | Product Separation |
| Seed use | Edible Seeds and Oilseeds | Separation of transaction standards |
| testa | In-shell·Hulled | Product Separation |
| Yoo Ji-hyung | Conventional·Mid-oleic·High-oleic | Separation of Oil Products |
| Processing form | Raw·Roasted·Crude Oil·Refined Oil | Product ID |
| Final use | Snack·Bakery·Cereal·Cooking Oil·Frying·Food Manufacturing | Buyer Spec |
| Transaction type | Contract farming · Local procurement · Import · Crushing · Bulk oil · OEM/PB | Contract NDA |
The USDA’s food composition data also describes Confectionery-type Sunflower Seeds as a separate category, and the USDA ARS study clarifies that fatty acid composition differs by oil type. ( ARS )
Nongsaroo's cultivation data for cut sunflowers explains that *H. annuus* prefers sunlight, thrives in well-drained environments, and exhibits high-temperature tolerant characteristics. However, since this data is for flower production, it should not be directly applied to the yield, sowing density, fertilization, and harvest standards for sunflowers grown for oilseed. ( Nongsaroo )
step | Essential Dataset | Management purpose |
| Cultivation plan | Cultivar·Oil/Seed Type·Buyer | Production plan |
| satellite | Seed Lot · Germination Rate · Type | breed tracking |
| sowing | Sowing date and planting density | Production history |
| budding | Budding rate · Hair emergence | Initial quantity forecast |
| growth | Plant height, number of leaves, and growth stage | Yield Forecast |
| rising | Temperature, rainfall, sunshine, drought | Crop Risk |
| soil | Soil, Drainage, Moisture | productivity |
| Watering | Soil moisture and irrigation history | Growth stability |
| dispute | Input amount and timing | Production history |
| weeds | Occurrence and Control | quantity protection |
| pests | Occurrence and Control | Production and Quality |
| Firefly | Head formation | Flowering prediction |
| flowering | Flowering date and period | Pollination and fruit set |
| moisture | Insect activity and weather | Seed Set |
| Seed formation | Attachment | Yield Forecast |
| enlargement of the royal family | fidelity | Oil Yield Forecast |
| Maturity assessment | Head, seed, moisture | Optimal harvest time |
| harvest | Date/Method | Harvest Lot |
| dry | Moisture and time | Zhejiang Province |
| threshing grain | Seed recovery/loss | Seed Yield |
| Jeongseon | Foreign bodies/immature teeth | Food/Crushing Grade |
| save | Moisture, temperature, and period | Prevents rancidity and mold |
| ecdysis | Kernel Recovery | Confectionery |
| stir-fry | Temperature and time | Snack |
| milking | Seed Input · Oil Output | Crushing Yield |
| percolation | Foreign matter/sediment | Crude Oil |
| tablet | Process and yield | Food-grade oil |
| packaging | Bulk/Retail | Finished Product |
| shipment | Buyer · Delivery Date | Delivery |
Quality items | raw material seeds | Peeled/Pre-treated products | crude oil and refined oil | finished product | Public rating |
| Species | essential | succession | succession | tracking | Public |
| Cultivar | essential | succession | tracking | tracking | Verified |
| Use Type | Seed/Oil | succession | Oil Type | Product labeling | Member |
| Origin | essential | succession | succession | tracking | Public |
| producer | ID | tracking | - | - | Verified |
| Lot | essential | new | new | new | Verified/NDA |
| Harvest day | essential | succession | tracking | - | Verified |
| Crop Year | essential | essential | succession | tracking | Verified |
| Seed size | core | Kernel Size | Raw material history | By product | Member |
| Seed skin condition | core | ecdysis | - | - | Member |
| fidelity | core | core | Oil Yield | - | Verified |
| immature teeth | check | eliminate | - | - | Verified |
| Broken | check | core | - | Product Standards | Verified |
| alien substance | essential | essential | Filtration management | essential | Verified |
| moisture | core | core | By product | Product Standards | Verified |
| pests | check | Removal of non-conformities | Raw material history | - | Verified |
| pesticide residues | Legal standards | succession | check | Legal standards | Verified/NDA |
| microorganism | Edible Seed Center | core | If necessary | Product Standards | Verified/NDA |
| oil | Oilseed core | - | Yield connection | - | Verified/NDA |
| Fatty Acid Profile | Raw material characteristics | - | core | core | Verified/NDA |
| Oleic Type | Cultivar standard | - | Conventional/Mid/High | Product specifications | Verified |
| Milking yield | - | - | core | Cost linkage | NDA |
| Maintain quality | - | - | core | Legal · Buyer Spec | Verified/NDA |
| Oxidation stability | save | Kernel | Oil core | core | Verified/NDA |
| Processing history | - | essential | essential | essential | NDA |
| packaging | Bulk | B2B | Tank/Bulk | Labeling packaging | Member |
| save | dry | By product | Tank | By product | Verified |
| Expiration date | By product | By product | By product | mark | Verified |
| Shipment | record | record | record | record | Verified |
| Returns and Claims | record | record | record | record | NDA |
| Repurchase | connection | connection | connection | connection | NDA |
USDA ARS research is based on the premise that the fatty acid composition differs among Conventional, Mid-oleic, and High-oleic sunflower oils. Therefore, if the Oil Type and Fatty Acid Profile are not stored by Lot, qualities may be mixed under the same sunflower oil product name. ( ARS )
Lot Master Required Field
Lot ID · Item · Product Type · Species · Scientific Name · Cultivar · Use Type (Confectionery/Oilseed/High Oleic, etc.) · Crop Year · Origin · Cultivation Area · Producer · Seed Lot · Sowing Date · Flowering Date · Harvest Date · Seed Weight · Moisture · Size · Fullness · Grade · Pests & Diseases · Appearance · Pesticide Use History · Pesticide Residue · Microbial Test Report · Drying · Threshing · Sorting · Storage History · Oil Content · Fatty Acid Profile · Raw Material Lot · Shelling/Kernel Lot · Crushing Lot · Extraction Date · Extraction Yield · Crude Oil Lot · Refining History · Refined Oil Lot · Oil Quality Certificate · Packaging Date · Best Before Date · Shipper · Returns · Claims · Repurchase
Customers | Purchase criteria | Cooperation opportunities |
| sunflower farms for maintenance | Cultivar · Oil Type · Harvest | contract farming |
| Landscape farming business operator | Possibility of flowering and seed harvest | Scenery + Seed Pilot |
| Producer organizations | Crop Year · Moisture · Volume | Joint shipment |
| Seed importer | Origin·Crop Year·Oil/Confectionery Type | Import RFQ |
| Edible seed companies | Seed coat, appearance, moisture | Snack RFQ |
| Breakdown company | Kernel Yield · Whole Rate | Processing |
| Cereal and Granola | Hulled Kernel · Moisture | Ingredient |
| Bakery | Kernel · Roasted Seed | Regular supply |
| milking company | Oil · Moisture · Foreign matter · Oil Type | Crushing RFQ |
| Refined oil manufacturers | Crude Oil · Fatty Acid Profile | Refining Contract |
| Food manufacturer | Refined Oil · Stability | Bulk Oil |
| food service companies | Frying Oil Spec · Delivery Time | Foodservice |
| School and public meals | Country of origin, safety, and standards | Contract Supply |
| PB·OEM | Seed Snack · Cooking Oil | Manufacturing cooperation |
| feed company | Meal and Cake Quality | By-product RFQ |
| Research and breeding institutions | High Oleic · Disease Resistance · Oil Yield | Technology Pilot |
step | Key variables | Operational judgment |
| Global production | Country · Crop Year · Production Volume | Supply Forecast |
| domestic production | Cultivar · Area · Crop Conditions | Domestic Supply |
| contract farming | Oil Type · Estimated Quantity | Procurement |
| Seed harvest | Moisture content | Raw Quality |
| Selection and storage | Foreign matter/stock | Seed Supply |
| Edible seed processing | Molting · Roast · Kernel Yield | Confectionery |
| milking | Oil Content/Yield | Crushing Economics |
| crude oil | Oil Type · Fatty Acid Profile | Refinery Allocation |
| tablet | Quality and Purification Yield | Food Oil |
| Import procurement | Seed/Oil·Origin·HS | Supply Balance |
| Distribution and supply | Bulk · Packaging · Lead Time | Buyer Service |
| RFQ · Repurchase | Yield · Oil Quality · Claim | Supplier Ranking |
As the USDA FAS is revising its sunflower seed export outlook by country for August 2026, it is appropriate to operate international procurement using a Crop Year Runtime rather than a static annual table. ( USDA Foreign Agricultural Service )
Import and export management
item | Management principles |
| sunflower seeds | Check the exact Seed status and Tariff Code by use in the current Korea Customs Service HSK. |
| Seeds for sowing | Separation from edible and oil-producing commodity seeds |
| Edible In-shell | Classified separately as Confectionery Product |
| Hulled Kernel | molting status verified three times separately |
| sunflower crude oil | Crude Sunflower Oil, check three times |
| refined sunflower oil | Check Refined Oil three times |
| High Oleic Oil | Separate management of Product Attributes even if HS is the same |
| Sunflower Meal | Check HS code separately for oilseed meal |
| Korea's import volume | Input after verification of raw data by the Korea Customs Service for 2025/2026 |
| Korean import value | Input after official verification of raw data |
| Major suppliers | Enter after verifying HS, base year, weight, and amount |
| FTA | Check origin determination criteria by Seed/Oil/Product State |
| Food inspection | Check the latest KFDA standards for edible seeds and cooking oils |
| Customs clearance unit price | Calculate Seed, Kernel, Crude Oil, and Refined Oil separately |
Products and processes | Key conditions | RFQ conversion |
| Harvest Seed | Cultivar · Moisture · Maturation | Raw RFQ |
| Dry Seed | Moisture content | Storage |
| Confectionery Seed | Size, appearance, and seed coat | Snack RFQ |
| Hulled Kernel | Molting Yield · Whole | Bakery/Cereal |
| Roasted Kernel | Roast · Aroma · Color | Retail/PB |
| Oilseed | Oil Content·Cultivar | Crusher RFQ |
| Conventional Crude Oil | Oil Yield · Quality | Refining RFQ |
| Mid-oleic oil | Fatty Acid Profile | Food Industry |
| High-oleic oil | Oleic Profile · Oxidation Stability | Frying/Premium Oil |
| Refined Sunflower Oil | Food standards | Food Manufacturer |
| Bulk Oil | Tank · Quality · Delivery Time | B2B |
| Retail Oil | Refining, Filling, and Labeling | PB |
| Sunflower Meal | Moisture, protein, residual oil | feed conversion |
| Hull | Hygiene and residue | Verification of material and energy utilization |
| Selective exclusion Seed | Causes and safety | Food/Non-food determination |
The USDA ARS has been researching mid-oleic sunflower oil for use as bottled oil for consumers as well as for frying oil in restaurants and food manufacturing, and high-oleic varieties have also been developed separately. ( ARS )
Product Research Profile (PRP)
PRP area | Key question |
| Cultivar | Which market is suitable among Confectionery, Oilseed, and High Oleic? |
| flowering | How weather conditions during the flowering period affect fruit set |
| moisture | Can the stability of the Seed Set be ensured? |
| Seed size | Does Snack·Hulling meet Buyer specifications? |
| moisture | How does it affect storage and crushing efficiency? |
| Oil Content | What is the actual oil production capacity per kg of seed? |
| Fatty Acid | Is Conventional/Mid/High Oleic clearly distinguished? |
| ecdysis | What is the recovery rate of edible kernels? |
| Crushing | What is the Crude Oil Yield relative to the Seed input? |
| Refining | What is the Crude→Refined Yield and quality loss? |
| Oxidation | What is the storage and heating stability by oil type? |
| Meal | What is the actual suitability of by-products as feed and food materials? |
| Buyer | How Oil Yield, Profile, and Stability Affect Repurchase |
first of all | Execution item | Performance indicators |
| 1 | Species·Cultivar·Use Type·Origin·Crop Year·Lot become mandatory values | Required value completion rate |
| 2 | Separation of Confectionery·Oilseed·Kernel·Crude·Refined·High Oleic Product | Product identification rate |
| 3 | Linking weather, growth, flowering, pollination, seed enlargement, and harvest data | Production history connection rate |
| 4 | Datafication of Seed and Oil Quality, Certificates, Storage, and Processing History | Traceability rate |
| 5 | Farm–Seed Processor–Crusher–Refiner–Buyer RFQ Connection | RFQ Match Rate |
| 6 | Video AI Head Image and Blooming Rate Analysis | Growth assessment accuracy |
| 7 | Video AI sorting of seeds by size, foreign matter, and damage | Grade Accuracy |
| 8 | Pest and disease AI diagnosis | Early detection rate |
| 9 | Prediction of seed production | Error compared to performance |
| 10 | Harvest timing prediction | harvest loss rate |
| 11 | Oil Content Prediction | Error compared to Lab analysis values |
| 12 | Hulling Yield Prediction | Error compared to the actual |
| 13 | Crushing Yield Prediction | Error compared to the actual |
| 14 | Automatic Product Classification Based on Fatty Acid Profile | Classification accuracy |
| 15 | Prediction of Oxidation Stability and Storage Risk | Quality claim rate |
| 16 | Global Supply and Demand & Procurement Forecasting | Out of Stock Rate · Landed Cost |
| 17 | AI Supplier/Buyer Match | Sample→Contract Conversion Rate |
| 18 | Traceability | Seed Lot → Finished Product Oil Traceability |
Problem group | Problem Definition | Required data |
| Mixed materials for ornamental and maintenance purposes | Confusion regarding industrial use due to the fact that they are the same sunflower | Use Type |
| Cultivar mixed | Confectionery·Oilseed·High Oleic fine separation | Cultivar |
| Lack of domestic production statistics | Difficulty in verifying a standalone production base for maintenance | Area·Production |
| Weather risk | Changes in crop conditions due to drought, high temperatures, and rainfall | Climate |
| Moisture and fruit set variations | Changes in seed set | Flowering/Pollination |
| pests | Decrease in seed yield and oil yield | Pest/Disease |
| Variation in seed size | Snack · Impact on peeling yield | Seed Size |
| immature teeth | Decrease in Oil Content and Kernel Yield | Maturity |
| Harvest loss | Seed loss during overripening and mechanical harvesting | Harvest |
| Moisture variation | Deterioration of storage and milking stability | Moisture |
| Depilation yield variation | Edible Kernel Cost Fluctuation | Hulling Yield |
| oil content variation | Oilseed economic differences | Oil Content |
| Mixed Fatty Acid Profiles | Conventional·High Oleic Product Error | Fatty Acid |
| Variation in milking yield | Discrepancy between Seed Price and Actual Oil Cost | Crushing Yield |
| Crude oil–refined oil traceability | Difficulty in tracing actual origin and cultivar | Lot Relationship |
| Oxidation stability | Differences in storage and heating performance by oil type | Oxidation |
| Global supply fluctuations | Changes in Crop Year of Major Producing Countries | USDA PSD |
| By-product value not reflected | Meal·Hull Revenue Unconnected | By-product |
| Repurchase not reflected | Oil Buyer evaluations not fed back to varieties and farms | Evaluation·Reorder |
RFQ Type | Public Registration | Verify/NDA |
| Contract cultivation of sunflowers for maintenance | Cultivar · Oil Type · Region | Area, Quantity, Unit Price |
| Confectionery Seed Production | Cultivar·Seed Size | Farms/Quantity |
| Oilseed sales | Moisture/Oil Type | Lot · Actual Unit Price |
| Oilseed purchase | Oil Content, Moisture, Foreign Matter | MOQ · Price |
| Regular supply | Crop Year · Supply Period | Contract volume |
| Molting Kernel | Size · Whole / Broken | Hulling Yield |
| Stir-fried Seed | Roast · Size · Origin | MOQ · Delivery Time |
| Bakery/Cereal | Hulled Kernel | Regular Supply |
| Crushing Raw Material | Oil Content·Profile | Processing RFQ |
| Crude Sunflower Oil | Oil Type · Quality | Certificate |
| Conventional Refined Oil | Food Grade | Bulk Contract |
| High Oleic Oil | Fatty Acid Profile | Premium/Frying RFQ |
| Oil for food service and catering | Packaging, Stability, Delivery Time | Contract |
| PB cooking oil | Raw materials, refining, filling | OEM |
| Sunflower Meal | Ingredients and moisture | Feed RFQ |
| import | Seed/Oil·Origin·Crop Year | Exporter·Freight·Price |
| export | Product·HS·Spec | Contract |
| Technology demonstration | Cultivar · AI Screening · Crushing | Pilot |
| Research cooperation | Oil Content, Fatty Acid, Disease | Dataset·IP |
① Need Products & Materials
Companies and institutions seeking necessary products, agricultural products, raw materials, and processed goods register purchasing demands. Registered requests are utilized to review cooperation with potential suppliers and producers based on the RFQ Intelligence Library.
Process:
RFQ Registration → Supplier/Product Review → Collaboration Connection → Future AI Matching
Register
② We are looking for production and manufacturing partners. (Need Suppliers & Manufacturers)
Register a request to find necessary production and supply partners, ranging from farms and producer organizations to processing companies, OEM, ODM, and private label manufacturers.
Process:
RFQ Registration → Review of Production & Manufacturing Capabilities → Collaboration Connection → Future AI Partner Matching
Register
③ We are looking for domestic and international buyers. (Need Buyers)
Farmers, producer organizations, and manufacturing companies are requesting cooperation with new buyers, such as domestic and international distributors, importers, brand companies, and food service and catering businesses.
Process:
RFQ Registration → Product & Supply Capability Review → Market & Buyer Connection → Future AI Buyer Matching
Register
Contact : mail@markethub.org
Version | Main contents | situation |
| v1.0 | Plant Identity · Ornamental/Seed/Oil Separation · Confectionery Seed · Oilseed · Crude/Refined Oil · High Oleic · RFQ Basic Structure Registration | complete |
| v1.1 | Domestic Production Statistics · Cultivar · Current HS · Korean Imports & Exports · Verification of Official Raw Data for Food Standards | expected |
| v2.0 | Detailed quality specifications for Seed Size, Hulling Yield, Oil Content, Crushing Yield, Fatty Acid Profile, Purification Yield, and Oxidation Stability | expected |
| v3.0 | Seed Supplier – Farm – Producer Organization – Seed Processor – Crusher – Refiner – Food Manufacturer – Catering/Restaurant/Retail Buyer Verified Container Combination | expected |









