The Hindu Business Line : Jatropha cultivation to boost alternative fuel & rural jobs

CHENNAI: The cultivation of Jatropha, a drought resistant tree with seeds that are an excellent source of bio-diesel, on wastelands offers huge potential both to produce an alternative fuel to diesel and also to create job opportunities for the rural pop ulation.

"With crude oil prices going up and up, Jatropha will be the right substitute to produce the alternative fuel to diesel," Managing Director of Chennai-based D1 Mohan Bio Oils, Mr M Nandagopal said.

Though the Government is taking steps to find new oil reserves, it won't drastically reduce our oil imports. Jatropha cultivation will help not only to produce bio-diesel, which will be cheaper than diesel, but also will assure sustainable livelihood for poor farmers in the villages, he added.

More than 40 per cent of the energy in Jatropha seeds can be extracted as oil and the oil has equivalent energy value to diesel.

D1 Mohan Bio Oils Ltd, a joint venture formed between Chennai-based Mohan Breweries and Distilleries and UK-based D1 Oils for Jatropha cultivation in Tamil Nadu.

The company has identified around one lakh acres, to be taken up for Jatropha cultivation during the current year and has tied-up with State Bank of India for financing the farmers for Jatropha cultivation in all districts of State, barring Nilgiris. - PTI

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