Castor Oil Farming In Kenya

Castor Seeds are valued mainly for their oil, which is used in pharmaceutical products. Ground seed cakes are used as fertilizers (castor oil pomace)

Varieties

KC1, KC2, KC3 and KC4

Ecological requirements

Rainfall: 500-600 annually

Altitude: 0-1800m above sea level

Temperature: 150-390C

Soils: Deep well drained sandy loams with PH ranging from 5-6.5

Land preparation

Plough the land removing weeds, stumps and other obstacles. Incorporate the trash in in soil to boost the organic matter. Harrow the field to medium tilth as per crop requirement.

Planting

Done when there is enough moisture in the soil to a depth of 6-8cm. at planting add 125kg of DAP per hectare-basal application. Spacingshould be 1m by 30cm-60cm and seedrate range from 10-15kg per hectare.

Crop management

Top dressing- Apply 20kg of CAN per hectare at initiation of secondaries and the same dose repeat at each successful picking starting of the first order spike

Irrigation- The first irrigation should be done when the plants are in 6-8 leaf stage from which 4-6 irrigations are given until 2-4 weeks before harvesting.

Weed control- Spray with a suitable pre-emergence herbicide eg Alachlor at a rate of 1.25kg per hectare followed by 1-2 hand weeding depending on weed emergence.

Pest management

Grasshoppers- Destroy alternate hosts, maintain field hygiene

Capsid and green stink bug- Practice good field hygiene, spray with duduthrin or any other suitable insecticide.

Capsule borer- Use suitable insecticide such as polytrin

Jassids- Use resistant varieties, use suitable insecticide such as polytrin

Thrips- Spray with a suitable insecticide eg Cypermethrin

Disease management

Leaf spot- Use a suitable fungicide, broad based

Rust- Plant resistant varieties, crop rotation and practice good field hygiene

Harvesting

Matures between 142 -191 days, harvest in the dry season at intervals of 15-30 days to keep up with the drying and to avoid shattering. Yield average to 3000kg per hectare.

Crop utilization
  • Manufacturing air craft lubricants, hydraulic fluids, explosives and dye
  • Making soap, body ointments and cosmetics
  • Treatment of guinea fowl abscess and flatulence
  • Castor cake is used as fertilizer, leaves as silk worm and livestock feeds
Agribusinesscastor oil farming
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View Comments (16)

  • There is castor plant in our àrea it grow in the bush without planting, how will I know that the seed is the good type?

    • Cactor plant ident-The plant exist as a landrace (non-improved cultivar), Its seeds have self-explosive dispersal mechanism hence can be found
      growing in the wild (natural plant establishment). All the same share the plant photo via our whatsapp 0728082887 we help you in plant identification.

  • hi am eric from meru..want to venture into castor farming humbly advice me abt the market and where I can sell. thank you.

  • kindly there was this oil plants we used to grow in our farm early 90's with spikes on the pods that bears seeds which makes difficult for birds to feed. we use it for cooking. it's not caster seed. I don't know the name and I need the seeds coz its does well in my area. The plants look bushy with thorns on leaves and pods. my contact 0721179335.

  • I would like to venture in castor oil farming .Kindly advice on where I can source the aptly seed and the market..,by the way are there companies that contract farmers to plant?

  • I need to grow castor beans and now I need the market and seed .I have 400ha to plant it .
    I am in zimbabwe

  • Hey, I am working on a project concerning the castor plant. Kindly advise where I can get the plant. Thank you

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