Borneo Castor Farming: July 2010

Introduction

The castor oil plant, Ricinus Communis, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbaceae. Its seed is called castor bean and it is the source of castor oil. Although castor is indigenous to the Egypt, Ethiopia and India, today it is widespread throughout tropical regions such as China, Brazil and Thailand.

Although the seeds are extremely poisonous, they are the source of numerous economically important products, such as lubricant for aerospace industry and are one of the earliest commercial products. To many people the castor plant is just an overgrown, undesirable weed and yet it produces one of neture's finest and economically important natural oils.

Global castor seed production is more than 1.5 million tons per year. The major producing countries are India (with over 60% of global yield) follow by China, Brazil and Thailand.

WHY GROW CASTOR ?

· Short harvesting period of 120 days.

· Minimum 3 harvests per annum

· Average production of 8 MT per acre/annum

· Perennial crop of minimum 5 years

· A buy back Agreement

· Castor plantation can improve soil and environmental quality

COMPARISON BETWEEN CASTOR AND OIL PALM

	Oil Palm	JATROPHA	CASTOR OIL

Planting Cost per Acre	7,000	5,000	*5,000*

Nursery Period	9 Months	2 Months	0

Flower & Fruiting	3 Years	6 - 9 Months	*4 Months*

Yield per Acre /Annum	14 MT	4 MT	*8 MT*

FFB / Seed Price	USD150 per MT	USD200 per MT	*USD375 per MT*

Oil Extraction Rate	20%	32%	*50%*

Crude Oil Price	USD750 per MT	USD 800 per MT	*USD1,500 per MT*

Friday, July 30, 2010

LATEST COMMODITIES NEWS by Rajkot

Castor seed to profit in near-term on demand

http://www.jimandaz.com/indian_news/33/castor_seed_profit_near-term_on_demand.html

Bullish momentum is expected to continue in castor seed as demand recovered sharply in current season. Most of the trade participants feel that prices of the commodity will head higher in coming months, high premium on recently launch RBOT September contract over front month June contract vindicates the trade view.

Demand, which was sluggish last year gathered pace this season on back of recovery in economies across the globe, but domestic production declined by around four percent. China's demand seen robust as it has increased production of sibesic acid which is a derivative of castor oil and used in textile, polywool, rubber and paint industry. Demand of sibesic acid is rising in the global market and China is the only producer in the world.

China bought 54,000 tones of castor oil from India during January-April, 2010 compared 23,000 tones same period last year pushing total export of the country to 1,35,00 tones. Imports of European countries also rose sharply to 50,000 tones from 33,000 tones. India is the largest producer of castor seed in the world with a share of around 60 percent. It is also the largest exporter of castor seed oil.
According to a leading exporter demand from China, Europe, USA and Japan will keep on rising till August, 2010. Prices of castor oil jumped $ 50 per ton on high demand within a fortnight reaching to all time high. Prices of May-June delivery quoted at $ 1750 per ton and July-September delivery at $ 1870 per ton in Rotterdam, benchmark market of this oil. Tung oil, a substitute of castor oil also witnessed bullish momentum and its prices surged to $3530 from $ 3450 per ton during same period.

Domestic castor seed production in 2009-10 pegged at 9.34 lakh tones, four percent lower than last year. Due to higher export demand of oil, almost 70 percent of the crop has already been crushed. Millers are crushing 65,000 bags everyday while daily average arrival is 50-55,000 bags only. Monthly demand of castor oil is around 50,000 tones and for getting this much oil 60,000 bags of seed have to be crushed every day, which is not possible now days due to thin arrival and there is no chance of increasing the same in the near future.

Given the tight supply and higher demand, it is unlikely that castor seed prices will come down. Castor seed September contract in the Rajkot Board of Trade was quoted at a Premium of Rs 140 against front month June contract indicating continuation of bullish trend in coming months. Castor seed prices are currently ruling at Rs 3,100-3,150 per quintal, traders expect prices may gain Rs 50 per quintal in near future.
Posted On : 31 May 10

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Clearing Work at Batu 14, Sepilok, Sandakan

Clearing work at Batu 4, Sepilok, Sandakan going on for the purpose of Castor Cultivation Showcase. Work undertaken by our contractor Syt. Winfost Construction (E.M.) Sdn Bhd. Pictures complements of Mr. Winston Sim

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Local Castor Plant at Tanjung Aru, K.K.

I saw these 3 bushes a far and decided to drive nearear after noticing the leaves

The Local Castor seeds, the young one (green) and ripe dried (brown)

My girls Pearl (red) & Crystal (blue) was so amazed to see the bunch of young local Castor seeds that I brought back from Tanjung Aru as Castor has been our household topic lately.

Monday, July 19, 2010

To Kota Marudu

James, Alex and I drove over to Tandek, Kota Marudu today (20/7/10) to inspect a piece of land for the purpose of Castor cultivation. The Land looks promising in the sense that there is not much clearing needed to get things moving. Judging from the surrounding plants the soil seems to be fertile.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

A visit to the Nursery

(Left) A Comparison in size (the Smaller & darker seeds are our (Sabah) local castor seed and the bigger seeds are our Hybrid seeds.

The Nursery at Klang, Selangor

Our Hybrid Castor Plant at 50 days old.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Health Benefits of Castor Oil .. by HomeRemidiesWed.com

What is Castor Oil?

Castor Oil is a very pale yellow liquid that is extracted from castor seeds (Ricinus Communis). It is an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant oil which has been used for centuries for its therapeutic and medicinal benefits. It is believed that most of castor oil's benefits are derived from its high concentration of unsaturated fatty acids. Although it has a strong and rather unpleasant taste, castor oil is used in cosmetics, soaps, textiles, medicines, massage oils and many other everyday products.

What are the Benefits of Castor Oil?

Castor Oil has been used both internally and externally for thousands of years due to its many wonderful health benefits. Since it can strengthen the immune system, castor oil is considered a great remedy to treat the following major illnesses and ailments:

Multiple Sclerosis
Parkinson's Disease
Cerebral Palsy
Hair loss
Pain from Arthritis and Rheumatism

It has also been found to help with many everyday problems such as:

Yeast Infections
Constipation
Gastrointestinal Problems
Menstrual Disorders
Migraines
Acne
Sunburn
Athlete's Foot
Ringworm
Skin Abrasions
Inflammation

Castor Oil is also commonly used to induce labour, so pregnant women should always consult a doctor before using it.

Uses of Castor Oil

Arthritis Natural Remedy

The anti-inflammatory properties of Castor Oil make it an excellent massage oil for relieving arthritic joints, nerve inflammations, and sore muscles.

Make a small pad by folding a small piece of unbleached cotton flannelette into 3 or 4 layers.
Dip the cotton pad into Castor Oil and place it on to the affected joint or muscle.
Cover the pad with a plastic wrap.
Place a hot water bottle or heating pad over the plastic wrapped cotton pad. The plastic wrap will prevent the water bottle or heating pad from getting oily.
Leave the cotton pad on for 45 minutes to an hour, once per day.

This Castor Oil pack can be reused. Simply place it into a plastic ziplock bag and refrigerate it until it is ready to be used again. It can be refrigerated in a ziplock bag.

Constipation Remedy

Studies have shown that Castor Oil is a very strong laxative, which makes it very effective against constipation. Therefore, simply take a teaspoon of castor oil in the morning. You can mix the oil with orange juice, cranberry juice, prune juice, or ginger juice to take away from the bitter taste without affecting the laxative effects. However, do not take it continuously for more than 3 days. If symptoms persist for longer than 3 days, consult your physician immediately.

Ringworm Treatment

Ringworm is known to be a stubborn condition to treat, but one of the active compounds of Castor Oil (Undecylenic Acid) has been found to be very effective at treating this fungal infection.

Spray Castor leaves with some hot water and coarsely crush the leaves.
Soak the leaves in pure coconut oil.
Warm the leaves to a temperature that will not burn the skin, and apply the leaves over the affected area as a poultice.
Leave on the skin for at least one hour, or optionally overnight.
You may wrap the leaves with unbleached cotton fabric to prevent the oil from staining your bed sheets.

Repeat the procedure every night before going to bed until cured. However, if you notice any redness or discomfort around the area, discontinue this remedy.

Skin Problems

Successful studies have approved the use of Castor Oil for skin infections and other skin problems such as sunburn, abrasions, acne, dry skin, boils, warts, stretch marks, liver/age spots, athletes foot and chronic itching and inflamed skin.

Dip a cotton ball into Castor oil and apply it onto the affected skin in the morning and at night.
Alternatively, for larger skin areas, soak an appropriately large piece of unbleached cotton cloth in Castor Oil and wrap the affected area overnight.
If the area is very small, soak a Band-Aid in Castor Oil and cover the infected skin overnight.

For stubborn fungal infections that affect the skin or nails, it is recommended to soak the affected skin in Epsom Salt for 10-15 minutes to soften and disinfect the skin before applying Castor Oil. This can help speed up the healing process.

Stye Treatment

The anti-bacterial components of castor oil have been found to be effective against styes (oil gland infections on the eyelid). Simply apply a very small drop of castor oil directly onto the stye 2 or 3 times per day.

Wrinkle Treatment

Castor oil is a natural emollient that penetrates the skin and helps stimulate the production of collagen and elastin which can soften and hydrate the skin. Therefore, castor oil is a wonderful natural treatment for wrinkles since it restores and rejuvenates skin's natural youthful appearance by making skin smoother, softer and pliant. Dip a small cotton ball into pure Castor oil and apply it on wrinkled skin before going to bed. Use only a small amount of oil when applying it to the skin near the eyes.

What are the Side Effects of Castor Oil?

Castor oil is normally safe if used in moderation. However, pregnant and lactating women and people with intestinal blockage, acute inflammatory intestinal disease, appendicitis, or abdominal pain should not take Castor Oil without their doctor's approval.

Note that precautions must be taken when taking the oil internally, so you should always follow the directions on the package and consult your doctor or naturopathic professional before consuming it. A typical recommended dosage for Castor Oil is no more than one-half to one full teaspoon per day. Overdosage of Castor Oil may result in diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or cramping.

Where and How to Buy Castor Oil

Castor Oil is best purchased from a health food store, since the oil that can be found in a supermarket may be meant for industrial use only (which is not safe for human consumption). Look for cold-pressed or cold-processed Castor Oil only and confirm it with a naturopathic doctor before taking it. The color of the oil should be a very light or pale yellow.