Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) starts Jatropha plantation in association with Jatropha Agro Pvt. Ltd.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between BPCL & JAPL for completion of the Jatropha plantation project, where JAPL is doing the Plantation work on the land provided by BPCL at the Uran LPG Filling Plant at Raigad, Maharashtra.

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) has been appointed as SLC for Maharashtra, where BPCL will purchase bio-diesel from the bio-diesel manufacturers of Maharashtra. BPCL has also join bio-diesel tree Jatropha plantation project on the 58th Indian Republic Day at the Uran LPG filling Plant, Raigad, Maharashtra. The plantation has been started by Shri S. A. Narayan, Director (HR) and Shri S. K. Jain, Executive Director (LPG) of BPCL. The Territory Manager Shri Suresh Nair and all the officers and staff of the plant were present at the memorable moment.

Image I: Jatropha plantation by Mr. S. A. Narayanan, Director (HR), BPCL (sitting in white shirt)

The oil marketing company has decided to cultivate Jatropha on land within the LPG plant compound. The Jatropha Agro Pvt. Ltd. (JAPL) has bagged the contract of plantation and 3 years maintenance from the Uran LPG Plant of BPCL. “The company (JAPL) is working for promotion of Bio-diesel tree plantation since 2004 and cultivated Jatropha plantation in various districts of Maharashtra and is going to start its first bio-diesel manufacturing unit at Raigad from the end of 2007” said Dr. Ajay Nakashe, Director of Jatropha Agro Pvt. Ltd., who was present in the plantation inauguration program at Uran.

Image II: Jatropha plantation by Mr. S. K. Jain, ED (LPG), BPCL (sitting in white shirt)

Dr. Nakashe also revealed that cultivation of Jatropha on wasteland is quite profitable for the farmers who are getting very small income from the traditional & seasonal crops. Once cultivated, the trees yield up to 35 – 40 years with minimum care. Jatropha plantation 1 acre land gives 1 – 2 tonnes of seeds or Rs.5000/- to Rs.10000/- income per acre per year. Besides we can produce 300 – 600 liters of bio-diesel from 1 acres of plantation. The company provides Jatropha Saplings, Agro technology for cultivation and buys back the seeds produced by the growers. “We will take Jatropha cultivation on large scale of the govt. & farmers’ wasteland in the years 2007 – 2010” added Dr. Nakashe.

Image III: Mr. S. A. Narayanan (left) & Mr. S. Nair, Territory Manager (middle) talking to Dr. Ajay Nakashe, Director, JAPL (right)

Jatropha plantation on wastelands, available in India has tremendous employment opportunity for the rural as well as urban people specially the agricultural entrepreneurs. In the coming years this project will see crores of people employed in the field of Plantation, Supervision, Harvesting and post harvest management, i.e. Seed procurement & Storage; Oil extraction & Bio-diesel manufacturing; packaging & logistics; supply chain of bio-diesel along with the byproducts”, said Shri K. Choudhury, CEO of the company.