The oilseed market has been volatile over the past week due to the weaker euro against the US dollar, as well as unpredictable demand for US soyabeans from China. Paris rapeseed futures (Nov-25) rose by €8.50/t (1.9%) to €466.50/t on the week. However, the futures market of the 2026 crop (Aug-26) was limited, only increasing by only 0.3% to €456.50/t. Consequently, the price difference between the 2025 and 2026 contracts is €10.00/t from nearby to harvest.
The European Commission published that, by 05 October, rapeseed imports for the 2025/26 season, which began in July, had reached 1.03 Mt, against 1.46 Mt a year earlier. The main countries from which the EU imports rapeseed in the current season are Ukraine (58%), Moldova (19%), Australia (13%) and Serbia (8%).
Chicago soyabeans futures (Nov-25) fell by 1.1%, while Winnipeg canola futures (Nov-25) slightly rose 0.4% on the week.
Chicago soyabean futures started last week strong amid optimism about the US-China trade deal. However, after President Trump posted on Friday in response to China’s export controls on rare earth minerals, he suggested that he may not meet with President Xi in South Korea later this month.
According to China’s General Administration of Customs, the world’s top soybean buyer imported 12.87 Mt in September, up 13.2% from 11.37 Mt a year earlier. Most of these imports in September are expected to have come from Brazil.
Brent crude oil futures (Dec-25) dropped by 2.8% over the course of the week. Global oil prices fell after Israel and Hamas announced the first phase of a ceasefire plan in the Gaza Strip. The news eased geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, reducing the “risk premium” in the underlying price of oil and turning markets’ attention to other factors.
Indonesia will implement its B50 biodiesel programme in the second half of 2026. The world’s largest producer of palm oil, Indonesia, has a programme that blends biodiesel produced from palm oil with diesel to reduce its reliance on fuel imports. The programme is currently at the B40 stage, using 40% palm oil-based fuel blend (LSEG). However, this factor will have a greater influence on the oilseed market in the long term.
