Wednesday, 24 September 2008

Cambodia sees biofuel promise in jatropha

Energy Current
Filed from Singapore
9/24/2008

STUNG TRENG, CAMBODIA: Cambodia-based process rubber and crude palm oil exporter Mong Reththy Co. plans to grow jatropha on more than 100,000 hectares (24,711 acres) of land in the country. Mong Reththy has started a pilot project on six hectares (15 acres) of land in the Stung Treng province.

The pilot project produced eight tonnes (8.8 tons) of jatropha oil per hectare, company chief Mong Reththy said during an interview with the Phnom Penh Post. Mong Reththy expects the oil to fetch as much as US$720 per tonne overseas.

Mong Reththy entered into a joint venture with UK-baed D1 Oils Plc last year to grow jatropha on 100,000 hectares (24,711 acres) of land in Stung Treng. The agreement is subject to the success of the pilot programme.

Mong Reththy said the company has also roped in a South Korean firm to assist in planting the crops. The company will receive US$400 million in funding to develop the plantations and build a biodiesel plant in the province.

The government of Cambodia sees biofuel from jatropha as an alternative source of energy that can be tapped to reduce the country's oil dependency and alleviate poverty among rural communities.

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