This is the time to start planning for your agricultural and agro-allied income for the year 2012. This month, in this column, I will feature different investment opportunities in agriculture and also some success stories of farmers in developed countries.

Investing in Jatropha

The great things about Jatropha are:

1.      Jatropha curcas is a perennial plant, meaning that it can live for many decades and does not need to be replanted on an annual basis. This makes for economic efficiency.

2. It is an oil seed tree.It produces very high quality green oil -It has a very high yield – 1,500+ litres a year per acre. It flourishes best on land that is unsuitable for food production. A single tree can produce 600 to 1200 new seedlings a year. A single tree can produce 1.5 litres of green oil per year. It can also (from the residues after crushing) produce nitrogen-rich fertiliser.

3.  Due to its size, it is easy to harvest the fruits and seeds of Jatropha curcas. Cultivation of this tree requires only low-skill labour, making it ideal for creating employment in developing countries.The maintenance of Jatropha curcas cultivations is relatively simple and is not labour intensive. Its cultivation does not compete with plants cultivated for food production.

4. The first harvest of oil seed fruits can occur as early as 180 days after planting. Jatropha curcas is highly resistant to plagues, diseases, pests and fungi, eliminating the need for costly pesticides and the environmental problems they entail. Harvest times in dry areas can be regulated by having a fixed irrigation schedule for the trees.

5. The oil from Jatropha curcas can be used as an organic pesticide when sprayed on other cultivations. The oil from Jatropha curcas has been successfully used to combat the horn fly (Haematobia irritans), a serious livestock pest.

6. The cost of its oil on a per gallon basis is less than the price of petroleum oil. The oil can be used to make soaps and detergents.The oil can be used as fuel in oil lamps and kerosene lanterns.The oil does not smoke when burnt in oil lamps,

7. There is no requirement for agricultural equipment in order to cultivate Jatropha curcas, making it very affordable for socio-economic development projects.

8. The shells around the oil seeds can serve as animal feed, as they are not toxic.The shells around the oil seeds can be burnt in small boilers or heaters as a heat source.

9. The harvest of the seeds increase from year to year- The yield will be increasing for the first years. During the first year, the yield will be 500 kg/hectare; during the second year the yield will be 2500 kg/ha; during the third it will be 5000 kg/ha; during the fourth, it will be 10,000 kg/ha, and from the 5th year, till its life time, the yield will be between 12,000 to 15,000 kg/ha.

10.  Simple  equipment for in the extraction of jatropha oil - Oil press machine and pressure oil filter machine are the two most important equipment’s necessary for the extraction of jatropha oil. Jatropha oil can be used as fuel directly in stationary diesel engines and in mobile ones (cars, trucks, busses), but you have to modify the diesel engine.  You can also use Jatropha oil in some diesel engines with a precombustion chamber without modification  Bio-diesel is a chemically modified plant oil. It behaves like diesel and can be used in any diesel engine (DI or precombustion chamber) directly. Since bio-diesel is a strong organic solvent, it attacks joints and tubes from organic material (plastic, rubber). So you have to make sure that your engine has bio-diesel proof joints and plastic parts

11.Beehives can be established next to the Jatropha curcas cultivation.It has been discovered that every hectare of Jatropha curcas will render 20 to 40 kg (44 to 88 lbs) of honey per year.and also keep bees in the proximity of a Jatropha curcas cultivation increases oil production; thanks to the bees’ pollination efforts.

12 Jatropha curcas can be grown as a garden plant close to homes, where it also has an insect repellent effect.

Serious investors can be assisted in the establishment and maintenance of jatropha plantation and  detailed information on local and export potentials.