Nigeria’s cosmetic industry is heavily dependent on the importation of castor oil. Presently, the importation of castor oil and its derivatives is worth over $150 million on annual basis according to the Castor Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (CASGPMAN). Gilbert Ekugbe reports on the need to support local processors to maximise the nation’s unexploited castor seed potentials.
Castor is a plant majorly grown in the northern part of the Nigeria and can be grown annually or perennially depending on the weather and type of seeds planted. Apart from being a key ingredient for the cosmetic and paint industry, castor seeds without its hull are used for birth control, constipation, leprosy and syphilis. It could also be used as a laxative for constipation to start labour in pregnancy and to start the flow of breast milk.
Although, scientists warn that its hull contains a deadly poison called ricin. The demand for castor oil because of its industrial applications is quite huge, hence the need for economic managers to prioritise policies geared towards encouraging Nigerian farmers to begin the massive cultivation of castor seeds to serve as raw materials for local processors to bridge importation of castor oil.
Castor oil is a basic ingredient also used in the production of nylon, jet engine lubricants, and heavy duty automotive greases, coatings and inks, polyurethanes, fly papers and many chemical derivatives and medicinal pharmaceutical and cosmetic derivatives.
However, castor seed is yet to attract the eyes of Nigerian farmers even though companies around the world cannot do without its oil extract on a daily basis.
Hence the urgent need for the Nigerian government to sensitise farmers on the viability and uses of this precious plant that can serve as another “cash cow” crop for the Nigerian economy like cocoa.
The National President, CASGPMAN, Mr. Lawan Ali, described the staggering amount used for importing castor oil as disheartening considering the consistent Naira depriciation against the dollar while also putting pressure on the nation’s FX market.
Ali said at the commissioning of the first bleached castor oil production facility in Nigeria established by Agape Great Grace Ventures that the volume of importation of castor oil for the cosmetic and paint industry is high and harped on the need for government to look inward to bridge the importation to the barest minimum.
Federal Government Efforts
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) stated that it is currently recording giant strides in its bid to make castor seeds available to processors, growers and marketers in order to boost the production of castor oil in the country.
The Director General of RMRDC, NMr.Ibrahim Hussaini Doko, who was represented at the commissioning by the Lagos State Coordinator, RMRDC, Tokunbo Habeeb, said that the council has assembled farmers in South-west to present them with high quality seeds while looking forward to a harvesting season later in the year.
Doko said: “We have assured the processors that these farmers will produce the quantity of seeds that the processors would need to produce castor oil and the processors have also assured the farmers that as long as they are producing, there will be a market for their produce. This is the kind of assurance and reassurance that farmers need to cultivate this plant.”
He said that the council would be working with the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) to understudy the technology deployed by Agape Great Grace Ventures in its quest to engage local fabricators to develop local capacity to bridge importation of castor oil.
“This is a pilot plant. We want the technology to be here first. We have plans to invite FIIRO to study the technology and engage our local fabricators. We also have plans to revitalize all the raw materials in the 10 sectors of the Nigerian economy and once we identify a private sector showing interest in the nation’s raw material development, we will provide the data and information concerning the raw material requirement,” he said.
Processors and marketers plea
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Agape Great Grace Ventures, Mrs. Omololu Ope-Ewe, called on the federal government to support local processors by giving grants, saying that investments in castor oil production require huge capital as high interest rates from commercial banks are eating deep into investors profit margins.
She noted that Nigeria would need thousands of bleached castor oil production facilities to meet its national need for castor oil, tasking the government to create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the country.
“We already have the equipment to process but seedling is vital. Courtesy of the help of the council, farmers in the South-west will start harvesting their produce by December. This facility is able to produce one tonne per day. Castor oil has about 34 uses and we need about many companies to invest in this technology to stop the importation of castor oil into the country.
“The basic challenge of the industry is lack of access to funds, infrastructure. We will advise the government to give grants to boost castor oil production to reduce the level of importation while creating employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths.”
“We cannot continue importing hybrid seeds from India. RMRDC has already made provision for getting the foundation and parent stock seeds which we will produce the hybrid locally. We believe this will go a long way to address one of the biggest challenges of our farmers because to import seeds, you know what the exchange rate is today. It is very difficult,” he said.
He commended the council’s effort to getting the parent stock and foundational seeds to produce hybrid seeds in the country. He said the good about castor seed is that it is not edible as it contains rinsin. “Wherever you plan, no animal can consume it. We do not have an open market and it can only be sold to specific processors and this is the reason why we sensitised the farmers around the south west,” he added.
