Casterra Validates Economic Viability of Castor Oil for Biofuels in Brazil

On March 31, Casterra Ag Ltd. announced the successful completion of commercial field trials in Brazil, confirming the economic viability of castor oil as a biofuel feedstock. The company is a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd. and focuses on developing high-yield castor seed varieties and integrated farming solutions.

The trials were conducted across 74 hectares of farmland in Bahia State, with 64 hectares under rainfed conditions and 10 hectares using center pivot irrigation. Total rainfall during the growing cycle reached 382 mm. The study systematically evaluated different planting densities and fertilization strategies, while collecting comprehensive data on all farming operations—including nutrient application and crop protection—to assess overall production costs. Results showed that Casterra’s proprietary seeds, designed for mechanized and low-input cultivation, enable scalable and profitable castor farming across diverse climatic conditions.

Currently, castor oil is widely used in high-value industries such as lubricants, coatings, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and resins. Casterra’s core objective is to reduce the cost of castor grain production while maintaining farmer profitability, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of castor oil in the biofuel sector.

Building on these results, the company plans to accelerate its commercial expansion in Brazil in 2026. Key initiatives include establishing a local subsidiary, forming partnerships with major castor oil producers, and expanding trials across additional agricultural and climate zones. Management noted that this milestone strengthens castor’s position as a scalable and sustainable feedstock for the growing biofuel industry.