Crop Profiles
Sunflower
Sunflowers are grown on roughly 75,000 acres, south of the 51st parallel in Manitoba. Almost all the sunflowers produced in Canada are grown right here in Manitoba.
Sunflowers require a generous, frost-free growing season. They are typically planted in mid-May and harvested in October.
Sunflowers are categorized as oil or non-oil (confection). Large, non-oil sunflower seeds are sold for human consumption as a snack or baking ingredient and smaller seeds are marketed as birdseed. Oil sunflower seeds are crushed to produce sunflower oil, which is also marketed largely for human consumption. Sunflower meal is a byproduct of sunflower crushing that is sold as a high-protein ingredient in livestock feed.
End Uses
Did You Know?
Almost all of the sunflowers produced in Canada are grown in Manitoba (86.6% of total acres, 90% of total production).
Annual Stats*
Manitoba Sunflower Usage**
Seeded Area & Production
Yield: Manitoba vs. Canada
Revenues: Weighted Price
Revenues: Total Value
ExportsTonnes & Export Value
Top Export Destinations**
USA 97.5%(33,956 t)
Japan 1.6%(545 t)
Chile 0.2%(64 t)
* Seeded area, production and crop value data are an average of the 2020/21 – 2024/25 crop years. Export value data are an average of the 2019/20 – 2023/24 crop years.
** Manitoba Usage and Top Export Destinations data are an average of the 2019/20 – 2023/24 crop years.
SOURCES: LeftField Commodity Research, Statistics Canada, Canadian Grain Commission and Trade Data Monitor