Ahmedabad Despite higher yields, castor crop production in India is estimated to be 18.22 lakh tonnes, a decline of eight per cent compared to the final production of 2023-24, states the castor crop survey unveiled by the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) at the Global Castor Conference 2025 held in Gujarat on Saturday.
The crop production in the castor-producing states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are all expected to decline, according to states the survey that covers about 5,000 farmers in these states. Gujarat, which is the top producer of castor in the country, is expected to see a 14.75 lakh tonnes production of castor, a decline of six per cent. Similarly, in Rajasthan, crop production will see a nine percent decline to 2.85 lakh tonnes, while in AP and Telangana, it will see a 33 per cent decline (0.54 lakh tonnes production.)
Crop damage led to resowing
“The majority of crop sowing was completed in July and August 2024. However, excessive rainfall in the second fortnight of August caused significant damage to crops across all the 13 major castor growing districts of Gujarat. This led to germination failures and crop damage, necessitating resowing, which occurred between the end of August and the first week of September. In areas where farmers did not resow, crop conditions remain poor, with limited plant number, reduced vigor and dominance of weeds,” said Nalin Rawal, Director of GIS Services, Agribusiness Systems Ltd or AgriWatch — specialist in agri commodity research and consulting — said at the conference. AgriWatch was commissioned by SEA to conduct the survey.
Similarly, heavy rains in August damaged crops in Jodhpur, Jalore, Sirohi, and Barmer districts of Rajasthan, where farmers had to resow crops two to three times in the same fields due to crop damage and poor germination. In AP and Telangana, though rainfall was timely and beneficial, the reduced acreage could lead to a decline in production.
Area under cultivation
According to government estimates, the total area under castor seed cultivation in India for 2024-25 is projected to be 8.68 lakh hectares, a decrease of 12 per cent compared to the previous year. In Gujarat, the area under castor declined by 11 per cent to 6.46 lakh hectares, while it reduced by 12 per cent (1.7 lakh hectares) in Rajasthan and 38 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (37,500 hectares).
The farmers are expected to reap a higher crop yield per hectare this year. As per the field survey, the all-India yield is expected to be 2,101 kilograms per hectare, a five per cent increase from the final estimates of 2023-24, which were 1,999 kilograms per hectare. In Gujarat, the per hectare yield is estimated at 2,281 kilograms, while in Rajasthan, it is expected to be 1,677 kilograms— an increase of 3 per cent. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the yield stands at 1,440 kilograms per hectare, an increase of eight per cent.
Rains in October and a warmer winter have proved beneficial for the crop in Gujarat, according to the survey estimates, which are based on two rounds of field surveys and crop conditions until the first week of February. The survey added that yield and production numbers are expected to be revised after similar field visits in March and April.
