The national stores witness a shortage of sunflower oil. Ludmila Papuc, official responsible for marketing at an oil producer, has told IPN that the drought seriously reduced the harvest of sunflower seeds this year. It is almost twice lower than last year and the producers will have to import seeds.
The stocks of sunflower oil were used up, while the price of sunflower seeds rose to 7-8 lei per kg, as opposed to 3-4 lei per kg last year.
The price of oil will most probably rise by about 50%. Now a liter of oil costs 20 lei. Ludmila Papuc said the price is expected to reach 30 lei, as several years ago, when the harvest was also low.
The price will be influenced also by the depreciation of the national currency and by the expected rise in the electric power and natural gas charges. Ludmila Papuc noted that the company where she works already raised the prices of other types of oils, such as those from walnuts kernel, buckthorn and pumpkin seeds, by 30% on average as the raw material became more expensive following the depreciation of the leu.
