In Gujarat, castor is usually sown with the monsoon, around July to August, and harvested in several pickings from roughly December to April. Market arrivals of new seed tend to peak around February to April.
Castor oil prices follow castor seed prices closely. So the size of the crop, the timing of arrivals and the stock carried over from last year all feed into what you pay for oil. Dates are approximate and shift with each season.
Why castor is picked over months
Castor is a long-duration crop. The plant produces spikes of seed capsules in stages, so farmers harvest the first spikes and come back for later ones. North Gujarat districts such as Banaskantha, Mehsana and Patan, along with Kutch and parts of Rajasthan, are major growing areas. Farmers sell at APMC markets and to traders as each picking dries. Our guide to what an APMC market is explains how those auctions set the local price.
The price calendar in a typical year
- July to September: sowing. The market watches the monsoon and early sowing area reports. A smaller area than last year usually supports prices.
- October to December: crop estimates from trade bodies and private surveys circulate. Weather in this period affects yields.
- December to January: the first pickings arrive. Volumes are small, so prices can stay firm.
- February to April: peak arrivals. Supply is heaviest and prices often ease, although strong export demand can hold them up.
- May to July: arrivals thin out. Prices depend on how much seed farmers and stockists still hold.
Other things that move the price
- Carryover stock: a large stock left from the last crop can cap prices even in a small year.
- Export demand for castor oil and derivatives, especially from big industrial buyers in Asia, Europe and the US.
- Weather: frost, unseasonal rain or pest attack during picking can cut yield and seed quality.
- Competing crops: farmers switch area between castor, cotton, groundnut and other crops based on last season's returns.
- Futures: castor seed has traded on NCDEX, and traders watch it as a signal. See how oilseed futures affect contracts.
- Currency: a weaker rupee can make Indian oil cheaper in dollar terms, even when the local seed price is unchanged.
What this means for your buying
If you buy castor oil through the year, consider booking part of your need when new crop arrivals are heavy, and leave part open. Some crushers will agree a fixed price for a set period, or a price linked to the seed market. Weigh the risk both ways. A booked price protects you if the crop is poor, but costs you if prices fall. The approach is explained in what forward or seasonal price booking is.
How we help
We follow castor arrivals and crop reports in Gujarat through the season and tell you plainly what we see, without forecasting. When you are ready, we negotiate seasonal or period bookings with audited crushers and put the terms in writing. Start with a free sourcing review.