KYIV- Ukraine's 2021 sunflower seed harvest is likely to rise to a record 16.4 million tonnes due to an expected 6% increase in the sowing area, analyst APK-Inform said on Wednesday.

The consultancy said farmers could sow 6.8-6.9 million hectares of sunflower this year.

Sunoil output could exceed 7 million tonnes in the 2021/22 September-August season, 16% more than Ukraine was able to produce in 2020/21, the consultancy said, adding Ukraine may export 6.5 million tonnes of sunoil next season.

Ukraine, the world's largest sunflower oil exporter, harvested 14.3 million tonnes of sunseed in 2020.

"The supply-demand balance of sunflower in the new season may become less tense," the consultancy said.

Ukraine's government is considering imposing curbs on sunflower seed exports and establishing a licence requirement for sunoil exports in the current season, a move criticized by traders and producers. 

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk. Editing by Mark Potter) ((pavel.polityuk@tr.com; +380 44 2449150; Reuters Messaging: pavel.polityuk.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))