Kernel Sells World's First Low-Carbon Sunflower Oil with Climate Premium

Kernel became the first company in the world to sell sunflower oil with a reduced carbon footprint and a verified climate effect, the company announced on Wednesday, Sept. 2.The buyer, an international multinational company with a global strategy to achieve a net zero carbon footprint, paid an additional premium over the market price for verified emissions reductions during product manufacture.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.This changes the approach to decarbonizing the production chain and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from oil production. Rather than buying carbon offsets on the market, the buyer receives a product that has been grown with a lower environmental impact from the outset, as Kernel reduces emissions directly during production and at all stages of the supply chain.“This deal proves that we can not only implement relevant practices in production, but also confirm the result with calculations and convert it into commercial value. We are already working on scaling up the project to be able to offer such solutions to a larger number of clients and support their climate goals,” noted Marta Trofimova, Head of Sustainability at Kernel as quoted in the press release.Carbon footprint reduction is achieved at three key stages. In the field, during cultivation, the company uses a system to accurately calculate the carbon footprint of the crop at the individual field level, taking into account soil, weather conditions, crop rotation, and cultivation techniques. This allows fields to be identified where sunflowers can be grown with the least impact on the climate, creating low carbon supply chains. Other Topics of Interest Russian Strike Hits Multi-Story Residential Building in Odesa, Injuring 17, Including 3 Children The latest overnight attack came just a day after another massive Russian strike damaged homes, schools and infrastructure across Odesa. Then, Kernel ensures transparent tracking throughout the chain, from the lowest carbon footprint fields, through the elevators to the processing plant, confirming the specific origin of the product and the associated volume of greenhouse gases reduced. Finally, Kernel’s processing plants use electricity from renewable sources, further reducing atmospheric emissions.However, the global market for low-carbon agricultural products is still emerging, Kernel noted in a press release. The climate premium is calculated based on verified emissions reductions and carbon market prices, reaching $100 or more per ton of CO2e. To automate calculations, maintain compliance with international standards, and scale up its offering, Kernel has partnered with technology firm Regrow.Kernel is the world’s largest producer and exporter of sunflower oil, accounting for 10% of global exports, as well as a leading grain exporter from Ukraine and a major operator of agricultural logistics facilities. The company, which has been operating since 1995, exported 8 million tonnes (8.8 million tons) of agricultural products to global markets in the financial year 2025, and its shares have been traded on the Warsaw Stock Exchange since November 2007.