Castor seed production in the nation is anticipated to rise by 15% to 19.46 lakh tonnes for the 2022–2023 growing season (November 2022–October 2023). At the yards of the agricultural produce marketing committee, the fresh crop has begun to arrive. The castor-growing regions of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana were covered in two rounds of a field crop survey by the agricultural research organization Indian Agribusiness Systems or Agriwatch.
The primary survey’s findings indicate that the total production of castor seeds will increase by 15% from 2021–2022 to 19.46 lakh tonnes in 2022–2023. 9.18 lakh hectares is the expected sowing area for the year, up 13% from 8.11 lakh hectares last year. In comparison to the predicted production for the previous year of 2,087 kg per hectare, the estimated output for this year is expected to slightly increase by 2% to 2,129 kg per hectare.
The survey was presented at the World Castor Conference of the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) on Saturday in Ahmedabad. Trade leaders predicted a larger global demand for castor derivatives, especially oils, during discussions on the supply and demand outlook for castor. The greatest producer of castor seeds worldwide is India.
The SEA Castorseed & Oil Promotion Council’s chairman, Shailesh Baldha, emphasized the export opportunities, noting that because the world’s supply pipeline is nearly empty, consuming nations would begin accumulating new stocks. “At every stage of the supply chain, from farmers to merchants to processors to exporters, importers, distributors, and consumers, the supply of castor seed or oil is now constrained and lower than typical. When consumption improves and inventories are rebuilt to normal levels, demand in 2023 is probably going to be better than it was in 2022, according to Baldha.
