Myanmar announces jatropha biodiesel JV with Japan Development Institute

http://news.balita.ph/2008/10/27/myanmar-plans-joint-venture-with-foreign-enterprise-for-bio-diesel/

October 27, 2008 1:08 pm by pna
YANGON, Oct. 27 — The Myanmar agricultural authorities will cooperate with some Japanese institutions to produce high-grade bio-diesel by forming a joint venture, the local weekly Flower News reported Monday.


Under Myanmar's Jatropha bio-energy program, a joint venture company, named Myanmar Bio Energy Company, will be formed between the Myanmar Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, and Japan Development Institute (JDI) and Japan Bio Energy Development Cooperation (JBEDC) for the move, the report said quoting agricultural experts involved in the project.

In the course of the formation of the joint venture, cultivation of Jatropha physic nut plants, establishment of trading center for such crops and raw edible oil factory and training of experts in the aspects will be carried out, the report said.

The bio-diesel produced from the joint venture will be supplied for domestic use as well as for export, the report added.

Myanmar has set a target to grow 3.23 million hectares of bio- diesel plants in 2008 in a bid to increase the bio-diesel output in the year to substitute diesel, the ministry's related enterprise said.


Output from Jatropha plantations is being projected as up to 20 million tons a year, the sources said.

The Jatropha nuts were being initially planted on 648,000 hectares mainly in three dry zones of Mandalay, Sagaing and Magway divisions.

According to the enterprise, Myanmar has about 6.41 million hectares of land suitable for growing Jetropha plants.

The Myanmar private sector is also participating in playing part in production of bio-diesel fuel, planning to build a first and largest private-run bio-diesel plant in the country this year, private industries sources said.

With a projected production of 80 tons of bio-diesel per day, the six-hectare bio-diesel plant in Yangon's Thardhukan Industrial Zone will be constructed by the Khaing Khaing Group Co. Ltd with an investment of 8 million U.S. dollars and foreign technical know-how will be introduced, local media also said.

Using domestic raw materials, the plant will generate 20,000 tons to 30,000 tons of bio-diesel per year on completion, it said.

Official statistics show that Myanmar yielded about 90 million gallons (405 million liters) of diesel a year while importing more than 200 million gallons (900 million liters) annually to meet its domestic demand.

Myanmar has eyed physic nut oil as fuel since late 2005, advocating the use of it as fuel in the country and urging the country's people to grow such nut plantations extensively.

The authorities also stressed the need for the country to use such biodiesel to avoid spending millions of foreign exchange on fuel, pointing out that the use of biodiesel as an alternative fuel for petrol, kerosene and diesel would also enable rural people to avoid searching fuelwood and help protect forests from depletion and conserve trees.

Cultivation of an acre (0.405 hectare) of land with 1,200 physic nut plants can produce up to 100 gallons (454.6 liters) of biodiesel, Myanmar experts said. (PNA/Xinhua)

ALM/LDV/ebp