What is sunflower cultivation and why is it important in France?
What role does sunflower farming play in French agriculture?
Sunflower is a strategic crop for France’s food, energy, and protein sovereignty. France is the third-largest producer of sunflower seeds in Europe, with 1.78 million tonnes harvested in 2022 across 864,000 hectares, representing approximately 3.2% of the country’s agricultural land.¹
Sunflower cultivation is particularly widespread in the Southwest, Central France, Poitou-Charentes, and the Paris Basin. As a resilient and resource-efficient crop, sunflower provides an important economic opportunity and a valuable source of income for French farms seeking to diversify their crop rotations.
What are the environmental benefits of sunflower cultivation?
Primarily grown during the summer, sunflower requires little water and limited agricultural inputs while demonstrating strong resilience to drought conditions.
It also contributes to improved soil health between crop cycles by helping reduce nitrate leaching. In addition, sunflower provides an essential source of nectar for bees during July, a period when floral resources are often scarce in agricultural landscapes.
Is sunflower edible?
The main outlet for sunflower is human nutrition. Sunflower oil is the most widely consumed vegetable oil in France. Cœur de Tournesol, marketed by Lesieur (an Avril subsidiary), showcases French sunflower production. Conventional sunflower oil is naturally rich in omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin E, a natural antioxidant. The so-called high-oleic sunflower variety produces an oil containing more than 80% omega-9 fatty acids, providing excellent stability and strong resistance to high cooking and frying temperatures.
Crushing sunflower seeds also produces sunflower meal, a protein-rich co-product containing approximately 29% protein on average.² This solid fraction is a strategic resource for livestock feed, including cattle, sheep, and poultry, helping reduce France’s dependence on imported soybean meal. Animal nutrition companies such as Sanders (an Avril subsidiary) incorporate this locally sourced protein into feed formulations for farm animals.
Sunflower protein is also used as an ingredient by Sunbloom, an Avril subsidiary, in plant-based desserts, baked goods, and protein-enriched meals thanks to both its nutritional properties, including amino acids and protein content, and its functional benefits, such as foaming and creamy textures.
Is sunflower used for energy production?
Alongside rapeseed, sunflower oil that cannot be absorbed by food markets contributes directly to the development of sustainable mobility solutions. Through a process known as esterification, surplus crude sunflower oil can be transformed into a fuel with properties similar to diesel. This biodiesel is blended into conventional diesel fuel in France at a rate of up to 7% (B7) or used to produce dedicated 100% plant-based fuels for professional fleets (B100). This transformation is notably carried out by Saipol, an Avril subsidiary, helping significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared with fossil fuels. This outlet also provides an additional source of revenue for French farmers.
Is sunflower used in renewable and bio-based chemistry?
Sunflower is also used as a renewable alternative to petroleum-based materials through Oleon, an Avril subsidiary and one of the leading players in oleochemistry. Sunflower oil can be used to manufacture cosmetics, paints, lubricants, and even road bitumen. These bio-based applications offer a sustainable alternative to petrochemical-derived products.
When dehulled, sunflower husks can also be recovered and used as fuel pellets, although their primary outlet remains animal nutrition.
