Nabard nod to oilseeds project in Haryana

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development(Nabard) has sanctioned its first project in Haryana for the cultivation of tree-borne oilseeds like jatropha and jojoba in five acres.

The rising demand for energy and its consequent impact on the import bill for fossil fuel have necessitated alternative sources of energy, i.e. bio-fuels like ethanol and biodiesel.

The government has sanctioned a refinance of Rs 1.5 lakh to the Haryana State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development bank. The scheme will be implemented in the Rewari district.

Ratanjot (jatropha curcas), a hardy shrub, can only grow in degraded soils having low fertility and moisture. The cuttings are planted in February-March and the yield begins from the third year.

The yield stabilises from the seventh year to 40 quintals per year. The oil is then extracted through the "transesterification" process, with the oil content in the seeds ranging from 30 to 40 per cent.

The cost of cultivation in the initial two years is around Rs 18,000 per hectare and the income from seeds around Rs 10,000 per hectare from the fourth year onwards.

The farmers can also enter into buyback agreements with the planting material suppliers.

Bio-fuels are seen as a solution to problems posed by environment pollution and energy security, and a way to reduce imports.

Jatropha is prominent raw material used for biodiesel production among other tree-borne oilseeds. The government of India has proposed launching a national mission on biodiesel to be implemented during the Tenth Plan.

The National Oilseeds and Vegetable Oils Development (NOVOD) Board, under the ministry of agriculture, is providing back-ended subsidy of 30 per cent, for the promotion of tree-borne oilseeds like jatropha and jojoba.

Chandigarh's Nabard office has also taken a lead role in promoting the cultivation of various tree-borne oilseeds and for the first time has also fixed unit cost for different tree-borne oilseeds in consultation with the horticulture department.

More farmers are expected to take up the cultivation of TBOs like Jatropha and Jojoba with the implementation of the first scheme.