Subject: British firm to grow jatropha plants in northeast India
British firm to grow jatropha plants in northeast India
<http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957>
http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957
By Prasun Sonwalkar, London: A major British
<http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957> bio-diesel
producer is starting a
<http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957> joint venture
with a leading <http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957>
tea plantation group of India to extend its crop planting programme in the
country's northeastern region.
The deal by D1 <http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957>
Oils with Williamson Magor will see around 25,000 hectares of jatropha
planted during 2006. The fuel company is growing thousands of hectares of
jatropha plant to produce feedstock for its bio-diesel, a blend of
conventional diesel and vegetable oil claimed to reduce carbon
<http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957> emissions by up
to 80 percent.
The proposed joint venture company will promote and help to plant the crop
as well as putting in place the logistics to produce bio-diesel from the oil
<http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957> seeds harvested
by the farmers.
The Williamson Magor Group is among the largest tea plantation groups in
India and is billed as the world's largest supplier of quality tea, grown
mostly in the northeastern state of Assam. It is reported to produce 70
million kg of tea a year and employs more than 100,000 people.
Established in the year 1868 as a tea company, the group now produces nearly
30 million kg of tea per year from its 23 tea
<http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957> estates in
Assam. Assam, <http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957>
home to nearly 800 big tea plantations, accounts for more than 50 percent of
India's tea production.
Reports say that the Stockton-based firm already has a significant presence
in southeast India via another joint venture, D1 Mohan Bio Oils, but this
will be its first operation into the northeastern part of the country.
The company, chaired by entrepreneur Karl Watkin, is looking to set up a
global network of bio-diesel-producing sites to take advantage of the
rapidly growing market for the sustainable fuel, according to a report in
The Journal, Newcastle.
The report said that the company's efforts had been boosted by a report from
oil giant BP, which had carried out a $9.4 million study into jatropha.
Elliot Mannis, chief executive officer of D1 Oils, said the BP study found
that "as a non-edible and drought-resistant crop, jatropha is potentially an
economically, socially and environmentally sustainable contributor to the
challenges of energy security in India".
The report added that D1 Oils plumped for jatropha as its primary feedstock
because it can grow on non-arable land and is not dependent on government
subsidies for its production.
Speaking about the company's latest deal, Mannis said: "India is going to be
a key location for the production and consumption of bio-diesel from
jatropha and comprises the largest component of our current planting
programme."
He said the deal with the Williamson Magor is "in addition to the contract
farming programme currently being undertaken through D1's joint venture in
southeast India, D1 Mohan Bio Oils".
He added: "It takes us for the first time into the northeast, where there
are significant areas of marginal and unused land available for planting
jatropha.
"Williamson Magor's experience of large-scale planting and its excellent
relationships with farmers make it a strong partner."
British firm to grow jatropha plants in northeast India
<http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957>
http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957
By Prasun Sonwalkar, London: A major British
<http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957> bio-diesel
producer is starting a
<http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957> joint venture
with a leading <http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957>
tea plantation group of India to extend its crop planting programme in the
country's northeastern region.
The deal by D1 <http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957>
Oils with Williamson Magor will see around 25,000 hectares of jatropha
planted during 2006. The fuel company is growing thousands of hectares of
jatropha plant to produce feedstock for its bio-diesel, a blend of
conventional diesel and vegetable oil claimed to reduce carbon
<http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957> emissions by up
to 80 percent.
The proposed joint venture company will promote and help to plant the crop
as well as putting in place the logistics to produce bio-diesel from the oil
<http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957> seeds harvested
by the farmers.
The Williamson Magor Group is among the largest tea plantation groups in
India and is billed as the world's largest supplier of quality tea, grown
mostly in the northeastern state of Assam. It is reported to produce 70
million kg of tea a year and employs more than 100,000 people.
Established in the year 1868 as a tea company, the group now produces nearly
30 million kg of tea per year from its 23 tea
<http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957> estates in
Assam. Assam, <http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=7957>
home to nearly 800 big tea plantations, accounts for more than 50 percent of
India's tea production.
Reports say that the Stockton-based firm already has a significant presence
in southeast India via another joint venture, D1 Mohan Bio Oils, but this
will be its first operation into the northeastern part of the country.
The company, chaired by entrepreneur Karl Watkin, is looking to set up a
global network of bio-diesel-producing sites to take advantage of the
rapidly growing market for the sustainable fuel, according to a report in
The Journal, Newcastle.
The report said that the company's efforts had been boosted by a report from
oil giant BP, which had carried out a $9.4 million study into jatropha.
Elliot Mannis, chief executive officer of D1 Oils, said the BP study found
that "as a non-edible and drought-resistant crop, jatropha is potentially an
economically, socially and environmentally sustainable contributor to the
challenges of energy security in India".
The report added that D1 Oils plumped for jatropha as its primary feedstock
because it can grow on non-arable land and is not dependent on government
subsidies for its production.
Speaking about the company's latest deal, Mannis said: "India is going to be
a key location for the production and consumption of bio-diesel from
jatropha and comprises the largest component of our current planting
programme."
He said the deal with the Williamson Magor is "in addition to the contract
farming programme currently being undertaken through D1's joint venture in
southeast India, D1 Mohan Bio Oils".
He added: "It takes us for the first time into the northeast, where there
are significant areas of marginal and unused land available for planting
jatropha.
"Williamson Magor's experience of large-scale planting and its excellent
relationships with farmers make it a strong partner."
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Shubhranshu Choudhary Freelance Journalist
Ph : + 91 98110 66749 e mail : smitashu@...
http://www.cgnet.in http://smitashu.8m.net
Shubhranshu Choudhary Freelance Journalist
Ph : + 91 98110 66749 e mail : smitashu@...
http://www.cgnet.in http://smitashu.8m.net
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