Markets play a central role in a producer’s hybrid choices.
After planning sunflowers into the rotation and before purchasing seed, an understanding of the different sunflower markets is important. Whether it’s oil, confection or conoil, markets play a central role in a producer’s hybrid choices.
Producers must choose the sunflower hybrid for the market they plan to enter and for the specific region where it will be planted. Hybrid choice depends on demand signals like strong contracts or prices.
Legend Seeds Dealers, the official Nuseed sunflower distributors in the United States, and the authorized retailers in Canada, know the sunflower hybrids best suited for their regions and the markets they can be used for, and will aid producers with their hybrid choices, says Alison Pokrzywinski, Nuseed sunflower technical agronomist. However, before purchasing seed, growers must confirm with buyers or processors that their hybrid choices are appropriate.
“The first step is to talk to your seed dealer and decide what market you want to go into, and what market is a good fit,” she says. “They know the right Nuseed hybrids for their planting deadlines.”
Hybrid Market Versatility
Nuseed breeders have developed sunflower hybrids with multi-market flexibility. Nuseed’s conoil seeds are either striped (Badger DMR) or black (N5LM307) and are primarily contracted for the dehull market. However, in addition to having a plump kernel required for the dehull market, they can also be sold to in-shell confection, oil or bird food markets depending on processor criteria and market demand.
Check out Nuseed’s 2019 Product and Market Guide for more information.
