US castor-oil prices moved lower in January 2026 as ample origin supply and softer downstream buying eased CFR Houston levels. Prices eased by around 4% month-on-month. Gujarat crushing during the Dec–Jan harvest supported exports and reduced urgency among US buyers. Freight relief and Gulf inventories diminished the need for aggressive spot purchases, with importers adopting a cautious, wait-and-see stance. The January tone trended toward softer offers and measured procurement rather than cargo urgency. Downstream demand was mixed across end-use segments: lubricant blenders remained cautious, with automotive lubricant sales soft after year-end stocking, keeping demand for castor-based lubricant intermediates muted; biopolymer producers and cosmetic formulators maintained routine schedules and pockets of buying outlook remains mixed for the near term, with modest moves in a narrow range around flat to gains. Freight relief and harvest momentum may keep CFR pressure lower in the near term, while inventories rebuild could support firmer buying later in the quarter.
