Castor production projected to exceed 2 million tonnes

12-Mar-2026 01:52 PM

New Delhi. Castor seed was sown well during last year's Kharif season in top producing states like Gujarat and Rajasthan, and weather and rainfall conditions remained largely favorable for the crop.

In light of this, the Union Agriculture Ministry has projected domestic castor seed production to rise sharply to a peak of 2.049 million tonnes in the current 2025-26 season, significantly exceeding the 2024-25 production of 1.786 million tonnes.

Previously, the government had estimated domestic castor seed production at 1.959 million tonnes in the 2023-24 season, 1.980 million tonnes in the 2022-23 season, and 1.619 million tonnes in the 2021-22 season.

India is the world's leading producer of castor seed and the largest exporter of castor oil and meal. Rajasthan and Gujarat are receiving heavy arrivals of castor seeds, which has accelerated the pace of crushing and processing. The crop has already arrived in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.