Indian Farmers who have planted Jatropha Curcas are facing some problems, such as:
- Low productivity
- Non-availability of standardised good seeds
- Technical advice
- Non-availability of information about oil extraction
- Lack of knowledge about prospective purchasers of jatropha seed or bio-fuel
Other countries who plan to go into the cultivation of Jatropha Curcas as a source of Biodiesel should do well to study the problems that Indian producers are facing before jumping head first into this endeavor. In the Philippines there is still some discrepancy as to where the public should get information from on the propagation of Jatropha. You would assume that the Department of Agriculture would be the most logical place to go, but upon going there they were pointing me to go to the Department of Science and Technology.
Although the one all-knowing body is yet to be designated, the Philippine Coconut Authority (under the Department of Agriculture), Department of Energy, Philippine Coconut Authority and Department of Science and Technology are jointly into the research of this plant as a source of energy.
Original Article here
Category: Biodiesel
October 16th, 2006 at 11:41 am
[…] Guess this means that the Philippine Coconut Authority is “the” defacto authority for Biodiesel in the Philippines. Guess that answers my question […]
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Hi, I was instrumental in the setting up of D1 Oils in Africa, but resigned over a ‘tif’ in India. a good idea they had, would just not work in my opinion. They later raised 20millGBP for the project which did not go ahead, the money spent elswhere. I then set up C3 and continued planting Jatropha in Malawai, Madagascar, The Philippines and Mozambique where we have just won the best Industrial Company in the Country through our Copra oil mill work and intercropping of Jatropha in copra plantations.
I have therefore seen most of the pit falls in the planting programs. The main issue being that of timing. You need at least 5,000ha planted in order to create a ‘ sustanable’ oil expelling program. having 1,000ha gets you seeds but, no one wants to buy that ‘few’ as there is not enough oil or seeds to ship. You therefore have to harvest and put the seeds back in the nursery and re plant. Over and over again. Sounds ok, but where is the income? Investment and investors get itchy for a return.
I have just set up a new co together with other investors, signed up with Ernst and Young and insurers with Lloyds in order to offer CARBON CREDITS on 1 million ha of Jatropha world wide. we create the credit, verified by E and Y and insured. This is a VER which we buy. WE do All the work in its creation and buy it from the planting co/landowner. We have to date 350,000ha being planted by others all over the world and are looking for plantations to add to this total.We have everything in place, just need the planting companies! I have requested for follow up coments via this web site. Thank you, Adam