With India’s two major castor seed and groundnut growing states, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, receiving adequate rainfall in July, area under these two crops increased remarkably this kharif season.
As on July 29, castor acreage in the country has increased to 301,000 hectares compared to 218,000 hectares in the same period last year. The data available with the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) show castor seed acreage in Andhra Pradesh has sharply risen to 161,000 hectares (90,000 hectares in the same period last year) — higher than the total 135,000 hectares brought under castor crop in AP last kharif season.
Castor acreage in Gujarat, the largest castor-producing state, stands higher at 90,000 hectares as against 50,000 hectares in the same period last year.
“The initial sowing figures show a rising trend in castor cultivation. It seems castor acreage is likely to increase this year, especially in the wake of encouraging rainfall and higher prices of the commodity in local markets. However, it will be too early to quantify the likely rise in acreage at this point in time,” said BV Mehta, executive director, SEA.
Agrees Atul Chaturvedi, president-agro, Adani Enterprises, “Castor sowing is expected be higher as rainfall has been good and farmers are receiving better prices for castor seed.” The castor sowing activity will continue for the next one-and-a-half months.
The total area under castor cultivation in India for the year 2009-10 had declined by 10 per cent to 740,000 hectares and production was lower by 4 per cent at 934,000 tonnes. Andhra Pradesh had seen a 30 per cent dip in castor acreage and 38 per cent in production last year.
Rajasthan, too, had witnessed a fall in acreage and output.
Groundnut acreage in this kharif season has increased to 4.29 million hectares compared to 3.31 million hectares in the corresponding period last year. The total Kharif groundnut acreage was 4.45 million hectares in 2009-10.
Market players attribute the timely arrival of the monsoon in Andhra Pradesh as well as in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region to the rise in groundnut acreage. The acreage in Andhra Pradesh has jumped to 1.17 million hectares this year as against 384,000 hectares in the corresponding period in 2009. In Gujarat it has moved up to 1.63 million hectares from 1.59 million hectares last year. Trade associations and groundnut traders expect the acreage to rise up to 5 million hectares.
