Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture sets zero export duty on sunflower meal and raises rates on sunflower oil

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation has updated export customs duties on oil and fat products for January 2026. The regulator recorded a divergent trend: while payments for the export of sunflower oil will increase, the duty on sunflower meal will be reduced to zero for the first time in a long period.

For the first time since October 2022, exporters of sunflower meal will be fully exempt from paying export duties. In January 2026, the rate will amount to 0 rubles. For comparison, in December 2025 the duty stood at 783.1 rubles per tonne. The easing of customs and tariff regulation is driven by adjustments in global prices.

In the sunflower oil segment, the situation is developing differently, as the fiscal burden on exporters is set to rise. From January, the export duty will increase to 9,298.6 rubles per tonne, compared to 8,214.5 rubles in December. Thus, the rate will grow by more than 1,000 rubles per tonne.

The upward revision of the tariff is linked to an increase in indicative prices on the global market. In the calculation formula for January, the price of sunflower oil is set at $1,200.2 per tonne, while a month earlier this indicator stood at $1,169.5.

For reference: export duties on sunflower oil and sunflower meal are calculated on a monthly basis using a “floating” damper formula. This mechanism takes into account average market (indicative) prices and the ruble exchange rate, allowing authorities to regulate export volumes and stabilize prices on the domestic market.