Economics of sunflower oil production and use in the United States

U.S. consumption of fats and oils over the past decade increased at an annual rate of 2.8% and in 1970 reached an all‐time high of 18 billion pounds. About two thirds of U.S. consumption is in food products. Salad and cooking oils, shortening, and margarine account for the major share of food oil use. Sunflower oil is well suited for these uses especially for salad and cooking oils, and margarine, owing to its stable qualities and high ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids. With yields averaging around 1250 lb./acre and prices at 3–4 cents/lb., sunflowers have not been competitive with established crops in the southern states during the past few years. Returns from sun‐flowers in the Red River Valley, where yields have averaged around 1000 lb, appear to be more competitive with established crops than in the southern states. Some farmers in the South have achieved yields of 2000 lb. or more per acre and this seems to indicate that yields could be improved with better management. This analysis indicates that yields of 1600–2000 lb./acre, at a price of 4 cents/lb. for the seed, should permit sunflowers to compete with corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum in a number of farming areas. As experience is gained in growing the crop and higher yielding hybrid seed is better adapted to the available region, sunflowers should become a more significant factor in the U.S. farm economy.