Big plans in Malaysia.

Malaysian, Davao companies to go into joint venture for jathropa plantation

Walter I. Balane / MindaNews

Wednesday, 24 October 2007 10:33 -- A Malaysian and a Davao-based company are set to enter into a multimillion joint venture agreement to produce biodiesel fuel from jathropa (tuba-tuba), an official of the local firm said in the sidelines of the BIMP-East ASEAN Growth Area investment forum Tuesday.

Antonio Vergara, president of the Davao City Multi-Culture Development Corporation, said they have scheduled agreement signing in December and would proceed with planting operations in January 2008.

He said the state-owned Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) Sabah Sdn Bhd would take charge of providing equipment and financing while the local firm on plantation expertise in the 60-40 ownership joint venture.

Vergara, a former city councilor, said they have an initial capitalization of P35 million for a 1,000-hectare plantation.
 
He said the joint venture would plant jathropa to an area covering at least 60,000 hectares in the Marilog and Paquibato districts in upland Davao City.

Vergara, in the business matching meeting with Rose Pun, the Malaysian firm's representative for sales, said they are targetting at least 269,000 hectares of plantations in the Southeastern Mindanao region.

He said if the Malaysian firm could put up the refinery complex to process jathropa biodiesel fuel, they will initially produce 160,000 liters per hectare per year.

He said a feasibility study on the proposed Marilog and Paquibato plantations showed they could provide employment to two to three local residents per hectare to tend to the plantation, or at least 120,000 people.
 
He said, however, he could not reveal more details of the project.

The plantation would be located at the 1,000-hectare (IFMA) Industrial Forest Management Agreement area in Malicongcong, Paquibato district.

Vergara vouched for jathropa as a forest tree, which he said could be used in the government-led reforestation projects.

He denied reports about jathropa's alleged questionable biodiesel quality, citing extracts from some varieties produce only 15 percent oil. He said they are using a native jathropa variety called "hanga" which has been found to be a "good source" of oil.

He said many Mindanawons still laugh at the idea of jathropa as a source of biodiesel and as a viable business.

But he said with the meeting it is clear how fuel firms consider the potentials of jathropa.

Vergara said pre-blended jathropa biodiesel could sell at P30 per liter in the market, which he said should help bring down the cost of transportation by providing an alternative fuel.

He said they are already making money with jathropa seedlings by selling to the Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA) and other smaller outfits who are going into the jathropa business.

He said they are not selling to the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) because it is allegedly buying jathropa seeds at a lower price, P3.50 per kilo. He said it is usually P5.

hi,

im doing nursery of jatphora based in melaka. and anybody interested please contact me at tf_tye@hotmail.com.

How much for the plant? And how much the seed per kilo after harvest?

We are planting jatropha in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Currently we have few thousand trees which are bearing fruits and we are going to expand the farm to 60 acres for the initial stage. We welcome government bodies or universities to use our jatropha farm for research as we have jatropha nurseries too. To make thing easier, we have planted 200 jatropha trees which is just 5 minutes driving from Kuching International Airport for the public to view. My contact is tuntanny@gmail.com

Biofuel or biodiesel from jatropha is the trend that we cant stop as many countries are focusing on it. And you can see that almost every month there is a jatropha international workshop being held around the world!

Jatropha is a simple tree which is easy to grow and almost unattack by insects and goats have no interest on its leaves at all! Jatropha trees will bear fruits within 6 months after planting, it flowers round the year and thus you can harvest round the year. With proper nursing ROI ( Return Of Investment ) will be at the beginning of 3rd year while the trees can live up to 50 years.

We look forward for the small holders to plant some jatropha trees around their houses or gardens because jatropha bears fruits round the years means 'pay day' for them round the year too.

 Dear Tanny, 

I read with interest on your Jatropha plantations, I heard they say seedlings from Thailand is

of beter quality and more better crop yeild, is this true?  So far in Peninsula any big estates

around which have successfully planted and I can pay a visit to see for myself the real thing,

rather than through the websites.  I have a 6 acres land in Pahang agriculture land, and

 I am not sure what to plant as this crop is new in the market and things are still uncertain.

I heard from a friend that now for Biodiesel Egusi Melons is another source to produce better

yeild biodisel, is this true?

Thank you. 

HI Tanny,

Can you share more information regarding Jatropha to me?i was interested to invest in this plantation.

Dear ALL,

On behalf of the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, I would like to invite all of you to participate in:

The First National Workshop on Renewable Energy from Jatropha curcas – the Way Forward which will be held on the 7 – 8 August, 2008 at Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club in Miri, Sarawak. The workshop is jointly organized by the Sarawak State Government, Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI), Agro-Biotechnology Institute, Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi MARA Sarawak and a private company, Alam Widuri Biotek Sdn. Bhd. The workshop is organized to focus on the development of the jatropha industry to help turn the State of Sarawak into a major producer of biodiesel in this region. This workshop will provide the platform in bringing together related government agencies, community leaders, entrepreneurs, plantation managers, researchers, manufacturing and marketing companies involved in the biofuel industry to delve into the potential of Jatropha curcas as an alternative source of biodiesel.

Ten papers will be presented during the workshop including from two foreign speakers, Indonesia and India. Papers presented will cover aspects on production, research and development, economics and oil extracting and refinery of jatropha. A panel discussion and trade exhibition will also be held.

I thank you in advance for your participation and look forward to your contributions during this workshop.

Best regards.

maslinda

03-89436427

Workshop Registration Form

I/We representing the company ……….………

……………………………………………………. Address: ……………………………….……..….

Tel. No.: ………………………….. …………..…

Fax No.: …………………….……………….…..

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would like to participate in the trade exhibition

on August 7 & 8, 2008.

Enclosed herewith Cheque No. ……………..…

Amounting RM 1,500 made in the name of:

i've been to both JatrophaWorld conferences and so far they have the biggest crowds. The one held in Miami had many investors since the food vs fuel issue, US is really keen in jatropha- even came out on fox news. coming back to the east, yes, the JatrophaWorld in Jakarta in January had a site visit, so did the US one. if you want to see the real thing, maybe you can go to the one next year to see a whole plantation. Not sure about Egusi Melons but you should be looking into algae too.

http://www.platinumenergy.biz/ourbis/ourbisbiofueldivcdp.htm

These guys are onto it already;)