Thailand is planning to open large scale jatropha seed based plants to produce the much needed commodity.
Analysts said long-neglected jatropha ready for a starring role and a rival to palm oil as investors prepare to open large-scale plants in Thailand.
Jatropha seed, known as sabudam in Thai, has long been known for low yields per rai and high labour costs in harvesting, which have reduced its commercial viability.
One advantage of jatropha is that it is not edible, while palm oil use in the fuel industry is limited because demand for the commodity from food processors is so huge.
While it takes four to five kilogrammes of seeds to make one litre of palm oil, it takes only three to four kilogrammes of seeds to make one litre of jatropha oil.
As well, it takes four years for palm trees to produce their first seeds, compared with six months for jatropha. An Australian and Belgian joint venture is hoping to market the new energy plant to the aviation and biodiesel industries.
According to Green Energy Group Thailand will become a leading exporter of jatropha in the next decade as it is already one of the leading exporters of rice and cassava.
Australia-based Curcas Energy and Eurasia Consolidate of Belgium have each been running trials for more than three years in Thailand, spending a combined 150 million baht on research, and are now planning to establish an industry based on oil production factories in Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai.
Source : thefinancialexpress-bd.com
