Trans-Asia abandons jatropha project

Written by Paul A. Isla / Reporter
Monday, 14 September 2009 22:36

TRANS-ASIA Oil and Energy Development Corp.â€"the oil-and-power arm of holdings
firm Philippine Investment Management Inc. (Phinma)â€"has already junked its
plans to also engage in the biofuels industry.

This is what former energy secretary and Trans-Asia president Francisco Viray
told reporters in a press conference, citing the problems they have encountered
in the early stage of their venture into biofuels.

Viray said they started a small plantation of jatropha in Calaca, Batangas.

“And we found out early in the game that there is a problem in the agriculture
part of jatropha. Jatropha requires a lot of water,” Viray said. He added
that jatropha needs to be watered or nourished in order for it to grow.

He also belied claims that you can just leave it (jatropha) alone and it will
grow on its own. “If you leave it alone, it will grow, but with less yield. It
needs a lot of nurturing,” said Viray.


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