India’s Khaitan Group seeking biofuels acquisitions; forms JV with D1 Oils for 55,000 hectare Indian jatropha plantation

In India, B M Khaitan Group companies Eveready Industries India Ltd (EIIL), McLeod Russel India (MRIL) and McNally Bharat Engineering are reported on tradingmarkets.com to be seeking biofuels acquisitions. EIIL and McLeod Russel vice-chairman Deepak Khaitan said that the group has taken a 50 percent stake in D1 Williamson Magor Biofuels, and that the joint venture would invest $89 million in jatropha plantations and a biodiesel plant, with an eventual ambition of a 55,000 hectare jatropha plantation in eastern India.

D1 Oils is opening a $14 million biodiesel plant in Bromborough, England. The 100 million metric ton plant will add a further 100,000 ton capacity next year when D1 Oil’s jatropha oil stocks are sufficiently built up. The plant will supply fuels to Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.

D1 has a $90 million joint venture with BP, and has 338,000 acres under jatropha production with plans to plant more than 80,000 acres in Swaziland, Zambia, Madagascar, Mali and Malawi. The company recently signed with Keygene to obtain exclusive rights to Keygene’s applied jatropha research.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

Jatoil, a new jatropha producer, launches $10 million flotation on the Sydney Stock Exchange

In Australia, Jatoil has launched a $10 million public company flotation this week. Jatoil will grow jatropha in Asia and sell low-cost jatropha oil to Asian biodiesel producers, ultimately expanding ...

Daily Biofuels Summary for November 2: US consumers want more ethanol; Australian Green party wants less; UN Special Rapporteur on Food wants none

Top Story: A new survey commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Association showed that 74 percent of Americans believe we should increase our use of domestically produced renewable fuels like ethanol....

India’s biodiesel association calls for more B20 blending, tax exemption to stimulate industry

In India, the Biodiesel Association of India (BDAI) has called on the central government to place biodiesel in the "declared goods" category so that it will receive a uniform rate of taxation througho...

India’s Orissa state moves on jatropha project

In India, Orissa state's Science and Technology Department has developed a plan for a 3700 acre jatropha project and will spend $1 million in support of it, while seeking project financing. The govern...

India’s national biodiesel “mission” shelved, but ventures continue to pursue massive jatropha projects

In India, the national initiative for biodiesel has been shelved by a group of federal ministers responsible for biofuels policy development. The proposed 'national mission on biodiesel'  would have ...

India’s biodiesel chief says China pulling ahead, blames government disarray on policy

In India, the head of the country's national biodiesel association said that the lack of a national policy has put India behind China in biodiesel development. Sandeep Chaturvedi, head of the Biodi...