GUWAHATI, Aug 7 � The D1 Williamson Magor Bio Fuel Ltd has developed jatropha plantation over 51,000 hectares of land and the plantation carried out by the company in 2007 has started yielding sub-commercial crops said the company in a press release here.
The yield of the plantation in the NE region is better than that of the other parts of the country, but here the main challenge lies in the lack of financial strength of the farmers for undertaking weed control and other necessary upkeep measures during the initial gestation period when the plantation does not generate any annual income.
The company acquired a plot of land at Balipara in Sonitpur district in May for setting up its factory and is in the process of completing the legal formalities for the purpose. The bio-diesel refinery is scheduled to be put into place in 2014.
Jatropha plantation in the wasteland in NE region is capable of providing 2,500 to 3,000 kg of jatropha oilseeds per hectare on maturity which can bring in the additional income between Rs 10,000 and Rs 12,000 per annum. A few young plantations have started yielding 500 kg to 800 kg per hectare after two years of upkeep.
The cost of production of bio-diesel in NE region is worked out to be Rs 35 per litre as against the procurement price set at Rs 26.50 per litre by the Ministry of Petroleum. Since 2007, the company has developed plantation over an area of 1,32,000 hectares in various states of eastern and north-eastern regions of the country involving around 1,16,000 farmers. However, in most of the cases, the farmers developed the plantations through their own initiatives.
The company has helped them in capacity building by way of distribution of saplings free of cost, supervision of plantation and necessary agronomical advice for upkeep and better cropping. The company has spent Rs 52 crore till date in development of plantation and setting up a village level network for farm assistance.
The company has been promoting jatropha plantation by the farmers on semi-arid wasteland in the NE and eastern regions of the country under contract farming arrangements for processing of bio-diesel with the oilseed, harvested by them.
It is supporting the farmers with select varieties of planting materials, supervision of the plantation and its after care. It is also offering buy back guarantee of the produce. It has set up 28 observatory farms, three full-fledged development centres and two product placement trial centres in the NE region. It is also encouraging gram panchayats to adopt jatropha plantation under NREGA so that the farmers can receive necessary wage support during the initial two years to raise their plantations successfully, the company said.
