Sunflower is one of the fastest growing oilseed crops. It occupies fourth place among oilseed crops in terms of acreage and production. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is one of the few crop species that originated in North America (most originated in the Fertile Crescent, Asia or South or Central America). It was probably a camp flower of several of the western Native American tribes (North American Indians) who domesticated the crop (possibly 1000 BC) and then carried it eastward and southward in North America. The first Europeans observed sunflower cultivation in many places from southern Canada to Mexico and Spain. Sunflower was probably first introduced to Europe through Spain, and spread through Europe until it reached Russia, where it was adapted readily. Selection for high oil in Russia began in 1860 and was largely responsible for increasing the oil content from 28 % to almost 50%. The high oil lines from Russia were reintroduced into the U.S. after World War II, which rekindled interest in the crop. However, it was the discovery of the male sterile and restorer gene system that made hybrids feasible and increased the commercial interest in the crop. Uses of Sunflower Of the roughly 3 million acres of sunflowers that are grown each year in the U.S., up to 90% are the oilseed type. A significant fraction of the oilseed harvest goes for birdseed production, but most of the seeds are processed into vegetable oil. Of the seeds processed for oil, about equal thirds are dehulled, partially dehulled or left with hulls on for processing. When hulls are removed, they become a very low value by product, most often burned for fuel. Vegetable oil use, Livestock use, Snack food use, Birdseed use. Sunflower Oil Sunflower oil is the non volatile oil expressed from sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seeds. Sunflower oil is commonly used in food as a frying oil, and in cosmetic formulations as an emollient. The Sunflower oil is used as a cooking and salad oil for the manufacture of margarine, shortening and other edible products. Several types of sunflower oils are produced, such as high linoleic, high oleic and mid oleic. Mid linoleic sunflower oil typically has at least 69% linoleic acid. High oleic sunflower oil has at least 82% oleic acid. Variation in unsaturated fatty acids profile is strongly influenced by both genetics and climate. In the last decade, high stearic sunflower lines have been developed in Spain to avoid the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils in the food industry. Market Survey The Indian edible oil market is the world’s fourth-largest after the USA, China and Brazil. A growing population, increasing rate of consumption and increasing per capita income are accelerating the demand for edible oil in India. This paper analyses the trend in edible oil consumption and the prospects for the Indian edible oil market in the coming years. India is a leading player in edible oils, being the worlds largest importer (ahead of the EU and China) and the worlds third-largest consumer (after China and the EU). Each year, India consumes over 10 million tonnes of edible oils. Edible oils have a high penetration of 90% in India. However, per capita consumption of edible oils is around 11 kg per year. The sunflower industry continues to have adequate processing capacity to meet the demands of the domestic and international markets. The U.S. is recognized as having the highest quality of sunflower products. U.S. processors have developed technology that currently surpasses any other supplier in both volume capacity and quality control standards. Several of the domestic processing plants have gone through major renovations, having added processing facilities to meet specific consumer requirements in areas such as refining and packaging of sunflower oil and roasting and flavoring of confection products. The export market has grown much faster than the domestic market and this should continue to accelerate in the future. It is expected that these trends will continue through 2010. The market of Sunflower oil, the fourth most used vegetable oil as cooking medium in the world, is increasing in India in the recent years. More companies are focusing on the production and branding of Sunflower oil with the latest technologies to refine the raw materials. Restaurants and food manufacturers are becoming aware of the health benefits of sunflower oil. The oil can be used in conditions with extremely high cooking temperatures. It may also help food stay fresher and healthier for longer periods of time. Food manufacturers are starting to use sunflower oil in an effort to lower the levels of trans-fats in mass produced foods. As a result, consumption in India has risen sharply. ?