An overview on castor seeds

Castor seeds are a species of flowering plant in the spurge family. The scientific
name is Ricinus. Castor seeds are generally produced with a mixed pollination
system. Castor seed plants are widespread throughout tropical regions. Every
castor seed usually has a bean inside it. The seeds are a rich source of castor oil
which has a variety of uses. The seeds contain between 40% and 60% castor oil.
These days, castor seed oil is being popularly used to cure many health issues. It
provides instant relief from rheumatism, menstrual disorders and constipation. It
also helps in oral care, lactation, birth control and hair and skin care.
Many years ago, castor oil was considered a poison. When administered in low
dosages, it cures nausea, vomiting, sickness and loose motions. It is known for
its medicinal uses.
The castor plant is usually grown in arid and semi-arid regions. It is cultivated
in 30 different countries on a commercial scale. India, China, Brazil and
Thailand are the major castor seed growing countries. Gujarat is the chief
producing state. It alone produces 86% of the domestic production followed by
Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Currently, castor is a non-edible oilseed crop. It is a cash crop. Castor seed
production in India is about 9-10 MT. On the other hand, castor oil which is
extracted from castor seed is used a lot. Its derivatives have vast and varied
applications in the manufacturing of soaps, lubricants, hydraulic fluids, paints,
dyes, coatings, inks, cold resistant plastics, waxes, polishes, pharmaceuticals
and perfumes.
Did you know? Castor oil is the largest vegetable oil exported out of India. India
is the biggest exporter of castor oil and hols about 70% share of the
international trade in this cash crop followed by China and Brazil. Also, India
contributes to 55-60% of the world production.
In India, the castor seed prices are affected by many factors. Some of them are:

Production and acreage variation

Monsoon and level of rainfall
Yield level in other countries
Prices of the competitive oils like hydrogenated oil, dehydrated oil,
sulphated oil and sulfonated oil.

Demand of the importing countries and their demand

Seasonal price variations
Carryover stocks
Development of new uses of oil

Many people wonder if castor beans are poisonous. The truth is that they are.
Ricin is a poison found in castor beans, if chewed and swallowed, it can cause
injury. Generally, ricin is found in all parts of the castor bean plant, but is
concentrated in the bean. The reason castor oil has many commercial
applications is because it does not contain ricin.