Pakistan and China Expand Cooperation in Castor Cultivation
— March 26, 2025
BEIJING (AIA) Pakistan’s Roomi Agriculture Company and China’s Zibo Academy of Agricultural Sciences signed a Cooperation Framework Agreement on Wednesday to strengthen collaboration in the castor industry. The agreement focuses on scientific breeding, planting technology, deep processing, and marketing of castor products.
Castor seed cultivation is highly sensitive to environmental conditions, particularly water availability. Under the agreement, a Shandong-based agricultural company will manage seed production, provide technical support, develop digital cultivation technologies, and manufacture digital water-fertiliser equipment. The company will also design digital models for pre-planting, mid-planting, and post-harvest stages.
Zibo Academy of Agricultural Sciences has developed castor germplasm resources that are herbicide-resistant and tolerant to salt and alkali using field hybridisation, biotechnology, and molecular breeding. The academy will oversee variety selection, cultivation techniques, and industry chain information support.
Roomi Agriculture will promote large-scale castor bean cultivation on its farms and through partnerships, according to China Economic Net (CEN).
According to World Bank data, India dominates global castor oil production, accounting for over 80% of supply. Figures from China’s General Administration of Customs show that in 2024, China imported castor oil and chemically unmodified derivatives worth RMB 3.75 billion, with India contributing RMB 3.74 billion of the total.
Industry experts predict that demand for castor oil, especially in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors, will remain strong. Supply constraints have made global markets vulnerable to price fluctuations. While innovations in breeding and irrigation could ease supply shortages, castor oil prices are expected to stay high as demand continues to outstrip supply. As a result, companies are exploring alternative growing regions beyond India to reduce dependence on a single-source supply chain.
Pakistan’s climate and soil conditions, particularly in the rain-fed Pothwar region, offer significant potential for castor cultivation, according to Ghulam Shabbir, an expert from Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University.
In 2023, Pakistan exported castor seeds worth USD 2.69 million, making it the country’s 660th largest export. China was the primary buyer, importing USD 2.69 million worth of castor seeds, followed by the UAE, which imported USD 2.03 million.