Beijing (TDI): Pakistan’s Roomi Agriculture Company and China’s Zibo Academy of Agricultural Sciences inked a Cooperation Framework Agreement focused on the castor industry on Wednesday.
The deal outlines their cooperation in scientific breeding, planting technology, deep processing, and marketing of castor products.
Castor seed cultivation is highly sensitive to environmental factors, especially water availability.
Under the deal, a Shandong-based agricultural company will oversee seed production, offer technical support, develop digital cultivation technologies, and research and manufacture digital water-fertilizer equipment.
Moreover, they will develop digital models for the pre-planting, mid-planting, and post-harvest stages.
Zibo Academy of Agricultural Sciences has developed castor germplasm resources that are resistant to herbicides and tolerant of salt and alkali through field hybridization, biotechnology, and molecular breeding.
The academy will oversee variety selection, cultivation techniques, and provide assistance for industry chain information.
According to World Bank data, India accounts for over 80 percent of global castor oil production, playing a major role in the supply chain.
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Data from China’s General Administration of Customs indicates that last year, China imported castor oil and chemically unmodified derivatives valued at RMB 3.75 billion, with India supplying RMB 3.74 billion of that total.
The demand for castor oil is expected to remain strong, particularly in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.
This reliance renders international markets susceptible to price fluctuations caused by supply constraints, according to industry experts.
The climate and soil conditions in Pakistan, particularly in the rain-fed Pothwar region, are highly conducive to castor cultivation, presenting considerable potential for expansion.
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In 2023, Pakistan exported castor seeds valued at $2.69 million, making it the country’s 660th largest export product.
The primary buyers were China, which imported $2.69 million worth, and the UAE, which imported $2.03 million.
