In September 2026, all three FAO price indices* for the oilcrops complex continued to increase for the third consecutive month. The oilseed and oilmeal indices rose by 8.0 and 7.6 points (6.3 and 7.2 percent), respectively, while the vegetable oil index edged up by 1.8 points (0.9 percent) from August. All three indices remained significantly above their year-earlier levels, led by the oilmeal index, which stood 38.0 percent above its September 2025 reading.

 The continued increase in the oilseed index reflected higher prices for soybeans, rapeseed and sunflower seed. International soybean prices rose for the third consecutive month in September, mainly underpinned by concerns over delayed harvesting progress and potential quality losses in the United States of America following excessive rainfall in parts of major growing regions. Additional support came from continued import purchases by China, as well as firm crushing demand in Argentina, Brazil and the United States of America amid favourable crushing margins. Meanwhile, world rapeseed prices maintained their upward trajectory, reaching multi-year highs. Although global production outlook remained stronger than the previous season, prices were supported by regional supply tightness in the European Union following a reduced harvest and limited access to Ukrainian export supplies amid logistical disruptions. Harvesting delays caused by rainy conditions in Canada provided further support to rapeseed values. International sunflower seed prices also continued to rebound, reaching three-month highs, largely reflecting slow harvesting progress in both the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

 The oilmeal price index rose for the third consecutive month, driven primarily by higher soymeal quotations. On the supply side, harvest delays in the United States of America slowed down crushing activity and tightened available supplies, providing support to international prices. On the demand side, world soymeal values were underpinned by robust import demand, including from the European Union, amid lower-than-expected availability of other meals and purchases ahead of the year-end implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation.

 The marginal increase in the vegetable oil index was driven mainly by higher world palm oil prices, which more than offset the decline in sunflower oil quotations. Soy and rapeseed oil prices remained broadly stable. International palm oil prices rose for the fourth consecutive month, supported by strong global import demand and concerns over the impact of dry weather on production prospects in Southeast Asia. By contrast, sunflower oil prices declined for the third successive month, reflecting expectations of ample supplies from the Black Sea region. However, ongoing logistical disruptions and constrained export capacity through alternative routes limited the decline. World soy oil prices changed little, remaining well above their year-earlier levels, supported by robust demand from the biofuel sector. Rapeseed oil prices also remained largely unchanged.

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* The Oilseeds, Oils and Meals Monthly Price Update is an information product provided by the oilseeds desk of the Markets and Trade Division of FAO. It reviews the development of international prices for oilseeds, oils and meals as reflected by FAO’s price indices. Previous issues can be downloaded from the FAO website at the following webpage: https://www.fao.org/markets-and-trade/publications/oilseeds-archive/en

Please note that the views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO.

Explanatory notes:

FAO's price indices are calculated using the Laspeyres formula; the weights used are derived from export values of each commodity for the 2014–16 period. The indices are based on the following international spot prices for nearest forward shipment (provided by Oil World):

• Components of the oilseeds price index: soybeans, US, cif Rotterdam; Copra Phil./Indo., cif NW Eur. port; rapeseed, Europe, 00, cif Hamburg; linseed, Canada, No.1, cif NW Eur. port; sunflower seed, fob Black Sea (please note that sunflower seed has been added to the index only in January 1976 and, until December 2012, referred to EU, cif Rotterdam).
  
• Components of the vegetable oils price index: soybean oil, Dutch, fob ex-mill; sun oil, EU, fob NW Eur. port; rape oil, Dutch, fob ex-mill; groundnut oil, any origin, cif Rotterdam; cotton oil, US, PBSY, fob Gulf; coconut oil, Phil./Indo., cif Rotterdam; palmkernel oil, Mal./Indo., cif Rotterdam; palm oil crude, cif NW Eur. port; linseed oil, any origin, ex-tank, Rotterdam; castor oil, ex-tank Rotterdam.
• Components of the meals/cakes price index: soy meal, 44/45%, fob ex-mill Hamburg; sun pell., 37/38%, Arg., cif Rotterdam; rape meal, 34%, fob ex-mill Hamburg; copra exp. pell., Phil., domestic; palmkernel exp., 21/23%, cif Rotterdam.