News: Nandan Bio to set up 8 bio-diesel plants in Gujarat

(BS 24/07/2006) Mumbai/Ahmedabad - Hyderabad-based Nandan Biomatrix plans to set up eight bio-diesel refinery plants in Gujarat in three years. Each Rs 8 crore refinery would produce 10,000 MT diesel per annum using jatropha seeds.

The company, at present, is looking forward to increasing its jatropha acreage to one lakh acres.

"We will outsource the farming and cultivation of jatropha on the one lakh acre land through our franchisees in Gujarat," said C S Jadhav, director-marketing, Nandan Biomatrix. He said cultivation of jatropha would be undertaken in various phases.

The company plans to start farming on 35,000 to 40,000 acre by March 2007, which will be increased to 70,000 acre by March 2008. In March 2009, around one lakh acre in Gujarat would be cultivated with the crop.

"We have a mission to outsource the jatropha cultivation in around six lakh acre of land across the nation within three years, which includes 2.5 lakh acre in the current financial year," he said.

After the phased cultivation, the company will start setting up its refineries for converting the seeds of Jatropha to diesel.

"To establish the capacity and manage the field operations, jatropha plantations will be clustered in catchment areas measuring 12,500 acre. Each bio-diesel extraction unit will cater to 12,500 acre of jatropha cultivated land," said Jadhav.

He said the company would also set up an R&D unit in Gujarat.

"The company has tied up with international institutions - Forestry Academy of China and Austrian Biofuels Institute for standardisation of refining technology for various feed-stocks. We will set up at least one R&D centre in Gujarat with latest technology," he said.