Castor sowing set to top 1 mn hectares

Last year, total sowing was reported 916,000 hectares

Sowing of castor seed in India has crossed last year's mark in the current kharif season. It is likely to cross one million hectares by the end of this month.

According to the Union agriculture ministry’s data, castor seed has been sown on 927,000 hectares across the country as on September 4. Last year, total sowing was on 916,000 hectares. In the corresponding period in 2013, castor seed had been sown on 755,000 hectares.

Compared to last year's total area where castor seed was sown, sowing has till now increased by 11,000 hectares. Industry experts say sowing is still going on and the acreage is set to increase.

Gujarat government’s data, too, suggests an increase in the sowing area for castor seed in the state. One of the reasons for this uptick is that farmers who used to grow groundnut has shifted to castor seed this season.

“High castor seed sowing is expected this year owing to the strong progress of monsoon, in addition to the fact that many groundnut-sowing farmers have shifted to castor seed sowing. Currently, sowing is in its last stage and a further 50,000 or 100,000 hectares area might be added in Gujarat,” said B V Mehta, executive director, Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) of India.

According to the state’s agriculture department, the area under castor seed has risen from 520,500 hectares to 637,500 hectares till September 1. The total sowing of castor seed in Gujarat in 2013 was recorded on 573,000 hectares.

Sowing of castor in Rajasthan has been on 149,000 hectares, against last year's 148,000 hectares. However, in Andhra Pradesh, including the newly-created Telangana, castor sowing has declined to 101,000 hectares from 153,000 hectares a year ago.

Traders say the price factor has also been responsible for good sowing of castor seed. Between July and August 2014, castor price had not gone below Rs 775 for 20 kg and it was traded in the range of Rs 800-830 for 20 kg. The current price in the state is between Rs 785 and Rs 800 for 20 kg.

Export of castor oil from India has also declined because of poor international demand. According to SEA data, India exported 168,428 tonnes of castor oil during the April-July 2014 period, down 26,976 tonnes from 195,404 tonnes exported during the corresponding period in 2013.