Castor output may fall on erratic rainfall

In the wake of decline in area under the crop coupled with erratic rainfall, castor production is estimated to be lower in 2009-10 as compared to the previous financial year.

Considering the fall in acreage, the production is likely to decline this year. The primary estimates suggest a castor crop of 900,000-950,000 tonnes this year as against 976,000 tonnes in 2008-09.

The area under castorseed cultivation has declined to 7.08 lakh hectares in 2009-10 as compared to 8.59 lakh hectares last year. As per the data available with industry players, acreage in major castor growing states such as Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan has fallen drastically.

Andhra Pradesh, where new crop arrivals have already started, has seen a dip of more than 50,000 hectares in the acreage, which has fallen to 1.28 lakh hectares in 2009-10 from 1.80 lakh hectares. Similarly, acreage in Gujarat has come down to 4.16 lakh hectares from 4.87 lakh hectares. In case of Rajasthan, it is down to 1.17 lakh hectares from 1.39 lakh hectares last financial year.

“Scanty rainfall led to a fall in castor acreage in Andhra Pradesh, while farmers in Gujarat preferred cotton over castor, which resulted in a decline in castor sowing in the state”, said BV Mehta, executive director, the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA).