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.