Value Chain Analysis of Castor in Mahabubnagar District of Andhra Pradesh, India

India is the world's largest producer of castor oil, producing over 75% of the total world's supply. Castor oil is unique owing to its exceptional diversity of applications. The oil and its derivatives are used in over 100 different applications in diverse industries such as paints, lubricants, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, paper, rubber and more. Castor oil is possibly the plant oil industry's most underappreciated asset. It is one of the most versatile of plant oils, being used in over ten diverse industries. Owing to its unique chemical structure, castor oil can be used as the starting material for producing a wide range of end products. The plant itself requires relatively less fertilizers, pesticides, water and maintenance than most other cultivated crops, and it can grow in marginal land. With so many unique advantages, one would expect the castor crop to be widely grown world over. The study mainly focuses on the trends issues from producer to consumer throwing light on the price margins of different actors involved in the total castor value chain. A major area of concern is the problems and issues involved with production of Castor with respect to cost of cultivation, net income, different market channels, existing operations and market potential. This paper clearly brings an understanding on the whole dynamics involved in the production process without compromising the food security aspect. The study also researches on the sustainability of the castor production and also assess the opportunities to make value added products from Government and private organizations.