By Maxine Demetrius
“The demand for Jamaican Black Castor Oil on the international market is very high, and the global market is valued at approximately US$100 million,” so says Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport and Mining, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (jis.gov.jm/black-castor-oil-liquid-gold-untapped.) See this JIS article on page 25.
Given this disclosure, Freedom Come Rain newspaper was happy to chat with the spokesperson for the Jamaican black castor oil manufacturing company, AYUHTHAT, about their slice of this “golden pie.” The team had just returned from a beauty expo held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on June 24-26, 2023, and their spokesperson, Camille Lemonious, was excited to share their experience and comment on the Minister’s statement.
“Jamaican cold-pressed black castor oil is certainly considered to be the purest and highest quality form of castor oil globally,” she acknowledged. “It is extracted from the castor bean plant, which is locally known as the “oil nut” plant, and at AYUHTHAT, the oil is authentically removed without using heat, thereby producing a purer and more potent product.
“Mobay’s beauty expo was an exhilarating experience for us. It created an opportunity to meet several players within the industry, which is an important component in building our network. It was inspiring to hear the testimonials of the merits of castor oil from our many eager customers, and the event also afforded us the opportunity to share with them our own knowledge.”
AYUHTHAT’s three directors: Camille Lemonious, Shawnalee King-Gentles, and Martin Fowler
Ms. Lemonious proceeded to describe the AYUHTHAT journey.
SEED TIME
Shawnalee King-Gentles founded AYUHTHAT in 2021, combining her three passions: beauty, production, and quality, which spurred the idea of becoming an entrepreneurial scientist, specializing in beauty.
Martin Fowler and I had been exploring for a while becoming business owners, and when we discovered, through research, the huge local and international demand for Jamaican Castor Oil, we seized the opportunity to join Shawnalee the following year..
Recognizing that merging our individual strengths would create a more viable and successful business, we decided to lock forces to capitalize on this huge economic opportunity. So it was that AYUHTHAT was officially re-branded in 2023.
AND HARVEST
It has been a whirlwind experience from the moment we started this collaborative effort to the present day. All three of us initially had full-time jobs and are tertiary graduates making the transition into farming.
Building a successful castor oil business involves continuous education as we learn about the different varieties of seeds and which ones are best suited to produce the highest quality oil. We have also been involved in creating a network of people, connecting other players within the castor oil space, and playing our part in building a community that benefits farmers and processors of castor oil. We are helping people appreciate farming as a business and not just a “little” hustle.
We have had to find our way into the market space by participating in expos and using social media to bring awareness to the life-enhancing benefits of castor oil. The product literally sells itself, for once people become educated on the benefits, they generally become customers.
This year has seen us acquire and cultivate plots of land in two parishes so far, with the intent to cultivate at least 20 more acres by 2023 year-end and doubling that by next year. It is of paramount importance to obtain more land so as to properly position ourselves to produce larger quantities of oil on a consistent basis.
Although it’s been challenging securing licences and land lease agreements, getting access to equipment to clear the lands in a timely manner, and personnel to assist us with maintenance works, through persistent follow-up, we are achieving our goals.
PULL FACTORS
There are two main reasons we were drawn to castor oil:
- We knew we had a sustainable and winning product; the trees do not require much maintenance, and there are significant life-enhancing properties in the oil.
- We recognised that there are other castor oils on the world market claiming to be JAMAICAN BLACK CASTOR OIL (JBCO), only to realise that they are fake. As a result, it is our mission to collaborate with local parties and entities in the castor oil industry to correct this falsehood and ensure that BRAND JAMAICA’s reputation is protected.
Passion drives our persistence, and in five years’ time we expect to be recognised on the world market as one of the top processors of Jamaican cold-pressed black castor oil globally.
A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE
Psalm 104:14 states that “He (God) causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man.”
We have seen this verse manifest in our own lives and in the lives of our customers, who have testified of the life-changing impact our castor oil has had on them.
Our special blend of seeds provides the perfect richness, consistency, colour, and smell for the “service of man.” Our oil is 100% virgin – there’s no salt or water added. Our Jamaican castor seeds are planted on Jamaican soil and processed by Jamaicans, making AYUHTHAT authentically 100% Jamaican Castor Oil.
It’s true: some people do complain that the smell of castor oil is strong, even offensive, but there’s a mellow earthiness to AYUHTHAT which a number of our customers describe as “unusually comforting and healing.”
AYUHTHAT is a Christian-owned business. All of us are born-again Believers who thrive on prayer. Prayer is the “oil” that lubricates every aspect of our operations, as we are completely dependent on God for His direction and guidance.
We certainly encourage others to prayerfully consider starting a business or collaborating with others of a similar mindset. Ecclesiastes 11:2 instructs us, “Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; [for] you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.” This is encouraging us to diversify our income as a means of counteracting inflation and securing a more stable financial foundation.
Freedom Come Rain salutes this Kingdom business and pray continued success as they champion castor-oil, a God-blessed product of JAH-MEK-YA.
Contact: 876-346-8970/392-9638/540-9388; Instagram – ayuhthat_ja; Website -ayuhthat.com
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BENEFITS OF CASTOR OIL
- Remedy for arthritis
- Reduces pain and inflammation
- Facial cleanser and moisturizer
- Reduces wrinkles
- Promotes hair growth
- Boosts immunity
- Relives insomnia by improving sleep
- Relieves constipation
- Treatment for ringworm
- Accelerates wound healing
Source: https://youtube/l4bTk0GOBAc
