German rapeseed-oil exports down over 14%

Following strong export performance in the 2024-’25 season, representing the second-highest level since the turn of the century, Germany’s rapeseed-oil exports are showing a general downward trend in 2025-’26.

According to data from the German Federal Statistical Office, export volumes reached 1.11 million metric tons, marking a decline of around 14.4 percent compared with the 1.3 million tons exported in the 2024-’25 crop year.

The majority of Germany’s rapeseed-oil exports—1.01 million tons, or 91 percent—were destined for other EU countries.

According to research by Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (mbH), the Netherlands received the by far largest volume, as usual, totaling just under 568,900 tons—more than half of total exports in 2025-’26.

However, this represents a 23 percent decline compared with the previous year.

Belgium ranked second with 118,500 tons, a substantial increase of 34 percent.

Other key destinations included Poland (up 38 percent), Denmark (down 3 percent) and France (down 21 percent).

Trade with non-EU countries in 2025-’26 involved significant volumes destined for Norway and the U.K., with Norway buying 29,900 tons, around 45 percent less than in the previous year.

The reported figures include exports of rapeseed oil, field mustard oil and mustard oil—both crude and refined—for technical and energy-related uses as well as for food-production purposes.

The Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e. V. (UFOP) has emphasized the importance of the German oilseed industry, with its processing capacity of approximately 10 million tons of rapeseed, to rapeseed production in Germany.

The utilization rate of oil mills is becoming increasingly important as biofuel mandates are raised across the EU in 2026 and 2027.

Accordingly, demand for rapeseed is growing steadily and helping to stabilize prices.

Only approximately 40 percent of oil mills’ requirements can currently be covered by domestic production.

Consequently, Germany’s oil-milling and biodiesel industries are key local factors for the entire value chain, from rapeseed breeding, cultivation and trade to processing into a wide range of food, feed and fuel products.