Castor output may fall 15% on low acreage

Castor seed output is likely to decline by 15 per cent at 7.85 lakh tonne owing to 20 per cent decline in acreage this year at 6.98 lakh hectare.

According to a survey by AC Nielsen ORG-MARG, Andhra Pradesh is expected to see a drop in output by at least 31 per cent to 113.57 thousand tonne from 164.17 thousand tonne last year.

Gujarat, the leading oilseed producer, is also expected to witness a 13 per cent decline in output at 494.82 thousand tonne from 571.27 thousand tonne last year. The survey estimated that Rajasthan's output would fall 7 per cent to 136.28 thousand tonne from 145.83 thousand tonne last year.
 

ON SLIPPERY GROUND
States	Area* '000 ha	%  change	Production* '000 tn	%  change	Yield* Kg/ha	%  change
Gujarat	281.59	-15	494.82	-13	1,757	2
Rajasthan	114.94	-19	136.28	-7	1,186	15
AP	248.84	-37	113.57	-31	456	11
Others#	52.59	NA	40.00	-14	837	NA
Total	698.06	-20	784.67	-15	1067	6
Figures estimated in 2006-07, % change over previous year * AC Nielsen ORG-Marg estimates: # Secondary source

The drop in output is mainly attributed to a dramatic fall in the sowing area. Andhra Pradesh led the fall in acreage by 37 per cent to 248.84 thousand hectare from 397.88 thousand hectare last year.

Rajasthan and Gujarat are also set to follow the decline in crop area by 19 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively. The total crop area in Rajasthan and Gujarat last year was 141.82 thousand hectare and 333.20 thousand hectare as compared with 114.94 thousand hectare and 281.59 thousand hectare, respectively, this year.

An average of 6 per cent higher estimated yield at 1,067 kg (1,010 kg) a hectare this year is expected to offset the decline in acreage partly. Rajasthan is projected to lead with a higher yield at 1,186 kg a hectare as against 1,028 kg last year, reflecting an increase of 15 per cent, thanks to favourable monsoon.

Andhra Pradesh may see 11 per cent higher yield at 456 kg a hectare compared with 413 kg last year, while Gujarat is likely to witness a marginal 2 per cent rise in yield at 1,757 kg a hectare as against 1,715 kg a hectare last year.

Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh received 1,292 mm, 654 mm and 786 mm of rainfall in 2006, respectively, which is 50 per cent, 20 per cent and 5 per cent higher than the rainfall in 2005.

Rains in Gujarat during the sowing period were excess, while the rainfall in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh was in adequate for castor seed sowing.