Solvent Extractors' Association sees 25% fall in castor seed output

SEA survey cites lower sowing, with farmers shifting to more lucrative crops, as reason for decline

The Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA) has estimated castor seed production to decline by 25 per cent, from 1.43 million tonnes in 2015-16 to 1.06 million tonnes in 2016-17. According to an SEA survey, the decline in output will largely be due to lower sowing.

As part of its activities, SEA conducts castor crop estimation in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh every year, and had commissioned Nielsen India for this purpose.

“The monsoon was good this year and prices of other commodities such as groundnut and pulses were better than castor seed, diverting farmers to these crops. This has translated into lower acreages in castor,” SEA officials said at the International Castor Seed Conference in Ahmedabad.

As per the report, castor seed production in Gujarat, the highest producing state, will decrease by 26.58 per cent to 861,000 tonnes as against 1.17 million tonnes last year. Area under castor crop was lower by 28 per cent at 565,000 hectares, against 781,000 hectares in 2015-16.

However, in its second advance estimate, the Gujarat government has estimated 1.42 million tonnes castor seed production for this year as against 1.41 million tonnes in last year.

SEA has estimated 64,000 tonnes castor seed production in this year, down 19 per cent from 79,000 tonnes last year. Sowing also decreased from 114,000 hectares to 78,000 hectares.

The report stated negative production in Rajasthan due to decline in sowing area. SEA estimated a 16 per cent fall in production to 123,000 tonnes for 2016-17 in the state. Last year's production was 147,000 tonnes.

Till date the study has been carried out in major districts of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh in three field survey rounds between October 2016-February 2017 to assess the crop. Since the castor crop cycle is long, two more rounds will be conducted in March and May in Gujarat and Rajasthan to re-assess the crop estimates which may be revised if necessary.