India Castor Oil First Grade Export Price Trend (US$/MT)

Key Takeaway

• Factors affecting Castor Oil (First Grade) – FOB Kandla prices: Prices are primarily influenced by castor seed production, seed availability, mandi arrivals, crushing volumes, castor oil extraction yields and processor margins in India, particularly Gujarat. Since India is a major supplier of castor oil, international export demand, overseas orders and buying activity from pharmaceutical, cosmetics, personal care, lubricants, paints, coatings and specialty chemical industries are major drivers. Prices are also affected by global castor oil supply, competing vegetable oils, crude oil prices and demand for bio-based industrial products. As the quotation is on an FOB Kandla basis, port availability, vessel freight, container/bulk shipping costs, handling charges and export logistics influence the export price. INR/USD exchange rates, international freight, destination-country import policies, export regulations and geopolitical developments can materially affect competitiveness.
• Product-specific factors such as first-grade quality, colour, acidity/FFA, moisture, purity and other technical specifications create premiums or discounts. Seasonal castor crop arrivals, inventories, processing capacity, forward export bookings and trader/speculative activity further contribute to short-term price movements.