HURRICANE Beryl has further impacted the already struggling castor bean industry, exacerbating the challenges faced by agro-processors in meeting demand.

According to the “Castor Bean Technical Production Manual” report commissioned by the Jamaica Business Fund in 2018, the global market demand for castor oil and derivatives stood at 14,000 metric tonnes, while Jamaica’s supply was only approximately 7,500 metric tonnes. Despite its growing popularity worldwide, castor bean is not yet a major farm crop in Jamaica. Industry stakeholders are now warning of potential shortages due to crop losses, which could further affect the supply of castor oil and derivatives.

“I have a couple of trees that are a little bit blown down and broken. I did have some seedlings that I was preparing to transplant, but all those seedlings are broken, so that’s a complete loss right there. So, if I have to replant, I’ll have to start over again with the nursery — the castor bean nursery — and then do another transplant, which will lengthen the process,” Amika McCallum, a multi-generational castor bean farmer, shared with the
Jamaica Observer in an interview.

McCallum’s farm in Grove Place district, Manchester, cultivates castor beans on three-quarters of an acre, supplying two larger agro-processors and her own castor oil business. While assessing damage to her farm, she reported that around 20 small trees (translating to 20 pounds or more of castor beans) were lost, which she retails at $100 per pound. This estimates a loss of around $10,000. Recovery is expected to take an additional two months. Regarding her castor oil business, processing has come to a standstill due to the lack of electricity. As a result, she has been unable to fulfil orders, resulting in a loss of $50,000 worth of sales. Although she had 15 small bottles in storage, which were sold shortly before Hurricane Beryl, she has no stock left to meet existing orders. For castor oil agro-processors who have farms but also rely on farmers like McCallum for supply to make their oils, the reality is even more worrisome. Stock are dwindling while demand is projected to increase in the coming months.

“Luckily, we had a large stockpile of gallons of castor oil set aside for eventualities,” said Yunique Francis Myers, owner of Caster Care Ja, which sells premium Jamaican black castor oil.

While speaking with the Business Observer at the recent 10th annual Christmas in July event at the National Arena in Kingston, Francis Myers, holding castor oil bottles and displaying them, seemed optimistic as she sought new customers but laid out the harsh realities of her production business. She anticipates that by September or October, her business will experience scarcity leading into the Christmas season. This scarcity is expected to drive up prices, according to Francis Myers. Looking ahead, she forecasts a setback of six months to a year for her business.

Managing director and founder of A Yuh Dat Shawnalle King Gentiles shares a similar story and optimism. Her agro-processing business, which manufactures castor oil in the health and wellness sector, has planted over 20 acres of land with castor beans in St Catherine. However, the recent passage of Hurricane Beryl has resulted in the loss of 3 acres of her crop.

“When I went for reaping and basic assessment on Saturday, I was unable to access one of my farms, and the other farm I could access had no nuts on the trees,” she shared with the
Business Observer.

For Gentiles, the loss is nearing $1 million, and she has asserted that her business has slowed down significantly as a result. With fewer raw materials, she’s producing less product and earning less money. Her network of farmers, whom she typically relies on to fill gaps, was also affected, further impacting her revenue. Ideally, she prefers to supply her own business, but due to the loss, she’s had to purchase over 100 pounds of castor beans from other farmers at $500 per pound to supplement her supply. Despite this setback, she anticipates a return to normal production levels within a few months and expects a good yield from the crops after restoration and replanting.

“You lick it down; it bounces right back, so it’s a very hard plant to die, and it thrives under stress, so hopefully the ones knocked down will spring back up much better,” said Gentiles, highlighting the castor bean plant’s resilience.