Medical Education Minister and Udupi District-in-Charge Minister Dr V S Acharya called upon the farmers in the region to take up Jathropa cultivation.

Taking part in a “Jathropa field day” programme organised by Labland Biotech Private Limited, a plant biotech company based in Mysore, he said Jathropa cultivation can be a ray of hope as crops like paddy, coconut and arecanut among others are no more profitable.

“Jathropa cultivation can be ideal economic crop,” he said and added that there is no need for any apprehensions as the bio-fuel is required as long as vehicles do exist.

Quoting an expert who took part in the recent UN meet, Dr Acharya said all non-renewable energy sources will be reduced by the year 2025 - 2030.  “The world will be ruled by bio-masses in future,” he said.

Stating that Jathropa cultivation can bring in revolution in meeting the ever increasing fuel requirement of the nation, he said there is a need for creating awareness and sensitisation with regard to Jathropa cultivation.

Doubts about Jathropa

Clearing apprehensions of Jathropa cultivation, Labland Biofuel Director Dr N G K Karanth said a good variety of Jathropa sapling can produce yield for about 45 to 50 years.

Stating that convincing farmers was a Herculean task as they have been cheated by several companies several times, Dr Karanth said the Labland not only supplies good quality high yielding Jathropa plants to farmers but also buys back the seeds from them under a long term purchase contract.

Kateel model village

Speaking on the occasion, Labland Biotech Private Limited Managing Director Dr Sudheer Shetty said the aspiration of the company is to transform Kateel as a model village for others to see, believe and replicate.

The purpose of the field day, said to be the first such programme, is to allow interactions with the public to remove certain apprehensions and doubts about the practicality/economy of growing Jathropa for oil production, he said.

The company’s desire is also to blend its programme in tune with the national policy to create green and healthy environment, making the country energy independent, utilising unproductive land, generating employment to youth by empowerment and rural development, he added.

The company has several clients from overseas including US, Malaysia and Spain, he said and added that the company has technical collaborations with Sahyadri Science College (Shimoga), St Philomena’s College (Puttur), Karnataka Agrolabs (Gulbarga) and National Institute of Engineering (Mysore).

Demo

On the occasion, volunteers demonstrated oil extraction from Jathropa seeds and its use while St Philomena’s College Botany Department Head Dr Prasanna Rai and Dr Ramesh Babu from Kuvempu university shared their experiences of Jathropa cultivation.

Nitte Engineering College former principal Prof G R Rai presided while Sri Kshethra Kateel chief priest Lakshminarayana Asranna, Company Executive Director Dr Geetha Singh and Director Sapna Shetty among others were present.

1,000 saplings in 1 acre

Giving details about the Jathropa cultivation, Dr Shetty said that about 1,000 Jathropa saplings can be planted in one acre of land and it will start giving yield in the second year. “The land may be waste land and not necessarily agriculture land.”

About one tonne yield per acre may be expected in the second year while the yield will be two tonnes and three tonnes in third and fourth year respectively. From fifth year onwards, about 5 to 6 tonnes of yield is expected and the same will continue for about 45 to 50 years, he informed.

Giving details about the bio-fuel, Dr Shetty said that about 300 ml of bio-fuel may be produced from one kg of Jathropa seeds.

Though the price fixed for a kg of seeds is Rs 7, this year the firm has purchased for Rs 10 a kg as there is a huge demand for the same.