News Release Details
Tata Chem to foray into bio-fuel, agri distribution
New Delhi 25-Jun-2007
Tata Chemicals, which has lined up a $1 billion investment over the next two to three years, will foray into bio-diesel, fresh fruits and vegetables production and distribution as part of its expansion strategy. Unveiling the company's plans, Tata Chemicals' managing director Homi R. Khusrokhan said that the company has set up jatropha cultivation in five regions of the country for production of bio-diesel. He said it plans to cultivate shorgam for making ethanol, and added that to begin with it would set up a plant at an investment of Rs 40-50 crores in eastern Maharashtra. "Once it is successful, it will be replicated elsewhere in the country for large-scale manufacture of ethanol for blending with petrol," Mr Khusrokhan said. "Each plant will take about 15 to 18 months to be set up," he said, adding the first planl should be ready by end-2008. On bio-diesel, he said jatropha cultivation took at least four years and once the plants matured, an oil mill would be set up for extraction of jatropha. "Jatropha plants have a life-cycle of 35 to 40 years after the initial four-year period for its growth and it can be grown on wasteland. About 14 per cent of india's land mass is wasteland which is enough to meet the requirements of bio-diesel for mixing up to 15 per cent diesel," he said. On shorgum cultivation, Mr Khusrokhan said, "Shorgum can also, be grown as a crop in between two major crops of food; grain as it requires only, a four-month cycle.
New Delhi 25-Jun-2007
Tata Chemicals, which has lined up a $1 billion investment over the next two to three years, will foray into bio-diesel, fresh fruits and vegetables production and distribution as part of its expansion strategy. Unveiling the company's plans, Tata Chemicals' managing director Homi R. Khusrokhan said that the company has set up jatropha cultivation in five regions of the country for production of bio-diesel. He said it plans to cultivate shorgam for making ethanol, and added that to begin with it would set up a plant at an investment of Rs 40-50 crores in eastern Maharashtra. "Once it is successful, it will be replicated elsewhere in the country for large-scale manufacture of ethanol for blending with petrol," Mr Khusrokhan said. "Each plant will take about 15 to 18 months to be set up," he said, adding the first planl should be ready by end-2008. On bio-diesel, he said jatropha cultivation took at least four years and once the plants matured, an oil mill would be set up for extraction of jatropha. "Jatropha plants have a life-cycle of 35 to 40 years after the initial four-year period for its growth and it can be grown on wasteland. About 14 per cent of india's land mass is wasteland which is enough to meet the requirements of bio-diesel for mixing up to 15 per cent diesel," he said. On shorgum cultivation, Mr Khusrokhan said, "Shorgum can also, be grown as a crop in between two major crops of food; grain as it requires only, a four-month cycle.