The 2026/27 agricultural campaign for sunflower (girasol) kicks off in the southern Buenos Aires province and broader productive regions with strong economic margins that outpace competing coarse grains, though agronomists warn that a strong El Niño climate cycle requires rigorous field planning and disease management.
Agr. In the Mar y Sierras Serrana region—encompassing Tandil, Azul, Olavarría, and Balcarce—medium-potential environments project margins of approximately 171 U$S/ha for high-oleic sunflower and 113 U$S/ha for common sunflower. By comparison, upland maize sits near 80 U$S/ha, while first-crop soybean struggles with a projected negative result of roughly 70 U$S/ha due to export taxes and low global pricing.
In high-potential environments, high-oleic sunflower leads with approximately 250 U$S/ha, while common sunflower and maize hover around 180 U$S/ha. Maize has regained competitiveness due to falling urea prices and improving futures markets, whereas soybean remains the least favored alternative across multiple analyzed scenarios. Beyond basic margins, pricing strategies allow producers to secure early business. ASAGIR recommends locking in 30% to 40% of estimated production when base prices plus premiums reach between 400 and 420 dollars per ton, prior to standard oil content bonuses.
| Crop Type / Variety | Region / Potential | Projected Margin (U$S/ha) | Key Market Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-Oleic Girasol | Mar y Sierras Serrana (Medium) | $171 | Attracts positive commercial premiums |
| Common Girasol | Mar y Sierras Serrana (Medium) | $113 | Favorable input-output cost relationship |
| Maize (Loma) | Mar y Sierras Serrana (Medium) | $80 | Supported by declining urea costs |
| First-Crop Soybean | Mar y Sierras Serrana (Medium) | -$70 | Weighed down by export duties |
| High-Oleic Girasol | High Potential Environments | $250 | Leads profitability rankings |
Climatic Pressures and Agronomic Risk Management
The positive economic outlook is tempered by a distinct meteorological variable: a strong El Niño phase. According to institutional reports from ASAGIR, anticipated heavy precipitation between September and December on soils with high initial moisture levels will narrow optimal planting windows. In the Mar y Sierras Costera region, ideal planting is concentrated in the second half of October, while the Serrana region spans late October through the first half of November.
Pathogens such as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Phomopsis species, and Downy Mildew (Plasmopara halstedii) thrive in humid microclimates. Managing these biological vectors requires strategic pre-emergent herbicide applications, careful nitrogen fertilization management—typically utilizing 100 to 140 kilograms per hectare of urea 46%—and strict adherence to crop rotation to avoid continuous planting of sunflower on sunflower fields.
References
- Asociación Argentina de Girasol (ASAGIR). Informe de campaña 2026/27 sobre márgenes y proyecciones económicas del girasol.
- Noticias Agropecuarias. “Girasol: La campaña 2026/27 llega con muy buenos márgenes.”
- De Campo Noticias. “Girasol: buenos márgenes y precios, con asterisco climático.”
