Friday May 18, 2007
Jatropha may be the alternative cash crop to oil palm
KUCHING: Sarawak is studying the potentials of a plant that has rich medicinal value and a source for biodiesel for commercial cultivation.
State Assistant Land Development Minister Mohd Naroden Majais said the Jatropha Curcas might be an alternative to oil palm, the golden cash crop.
“The plant originates from Central America. It is grown as protection hedges around homes and gardens.
“India and Myanmar have each cultivated some 404ha of Jatropha on a commercial basis,” he told Vincent Goh Chung Siong (BN – Pelawan) during question time.
Mohd Naroden said that traditionally the oil from the seeds of the Jatropha is widely used as an antiseptic for cough, skin diseases and pain relief for rheumatism as well as to overcome constipation. Its latex can be used to heal wounds and its leaves brewed as tea against malaria.
Mohd Naroden said that in India the oil was widely used to make biodiesel fuel and was being promoted as an easily grown biofuel crop in hundreds of projects throughout that country and in Myanmar.
“The plant can grow in wasteland and yields more than four times as much fuel per hectare than soya bean and over 10 times more than corn,” he said.
“One hectare of land can grow between 1,600 and 2,200 Jatropha trees to produce 1,892 litres of fuel.
“It is a one-stage conversion to biodiesel, which is simpler and cheaper compared with converting crude palm oil to biodiesel.”
Mohd Nariden added there would not be enough supply of crude palm oil for biofuel due to increasing global demand, especially from China, for the oil to be used as edible oil.
Nevertheless, he is confident that oil palm could sustain its position as a top cash crop over the next 10 to 20 years.
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