PROYECT PROFILE OF ALTERNATIVE OLEAGINOUS ¨CASTOR PLANT AND SACHA INCHI¨ 1. PROYECT DESCRIPTION
The alternative oleaginous proyect is based in the production of vegetable oil derived from the Castor and Sacha Inchi plants, those which we describe: A. Ricinus communes L (Castor Plant) The castor plant is one which it’s origins are possibly India or Africa. It’s present in many countries around the world, with great adaptation to centralamerican countries in its wild form often bordering roads or rivers. In some cases, its agricultural utility has been as a shade plant in coffee plantations. The castor plant is typical of tropical climates, because of this it doesn’t adapt correctly in cold or temperate climates. It’s ideal cultivation temperature ranges from 20 to 30 °C, and it can’t handle frost in none of its cultivation phases. It’s an heliophilous plant, which means it must be planted at full sun exposure; when it’s planted on the shade its production efficiency is highly affected. One of it’s main characteristics is its great tolerance in case of drought, this which allows its cultivation to be economically viable in areas with low precipitation (500 to 200 mm/year) or droughts, with well drained soils and with an almost neutral pH. Castor seeds contain between 46-‐48% oil, with a high concentration of ricinoleic acid, wich is raw material for more than 700 industrial uses, with an oil yield of 1.5 to 3 tons of oil per hectare with improved varieties. Among its principal industrial uses are: Oleochemistry products, pharmaceuticals, polymers, cosmetics and perfumes, additives, hidraulic and motor oils, biodiesel, and more.
This condition as a raw material for many industrial uses, provides vast market posibilities, where the demand of castor oil isn’t met because of the poor supplying of this good nationally, regionally and around the world. It becomes an interesting activity for the present agribusiness.
Improved Castor hybrids in the north region and Carrizal of Alajuela, Costa Rica In years 2012 and 2013 we went through a validation process of 15 improved hybrids on 8 different places in Costa Rica; inside a system of production in association and crop mode. Choosing 5 hybrids which resulted highly productive and taking them to a commercial phase. In 2014 we started comercial sowings and in 2015 we developed the agroindustrial phase of products with the purchase of an integrated oil processing plant. This with the purpose of developing in 2016 products with added value.
Integrated Castor Oil processing plant
B. Plukenetia volubilis L (Sacha Inchi) It is a plant originally from the Peruvian Amazon, with an oil yield between 49 and 54%, rich in Omega 3, 6, and 9, aminoacids, proteína (38%) and vitamin E. It grows in warm environments and it’s capable of adapting to clayey and acid soils, with altitudes from 80 to 1700 meters above sea level and a precipitation level between 800 to 1000mm per year. It’s production starts after 6.5 months of its transplantation, obtaining in the first year an average yield of 0.7 to 2 tons per hectare, it can survive its productive level up to 10 years. It provides an excellent market potential in dry seeds for human intake, raw oil for salads and medicinal uses. Since 2012 up to 2015 we started a Agronomic Validation process in Costa Rica, learning about the agronomy of the crop and the technical and economic indicators its commercial development. In 2015, we also started with the establishment of sowing areas and the start up of the processing plant for the oil extraction and production of added value products.
Sacha Inchi crops in the Puriscal Region and North Region of Costa Rica
2. THE PRODUCT
A.CASTOR PLANT PRODUCT: From the Castor grain or bean we produce these products:
B. SACHA INCHI
Inside the process of the best use of the Sacha Inchi grain, we get as a result 3 added value products with commercial value: (i) Extra Virgin Oil, (ii) Toasted seed, and (iii) Vegetable protein.