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Southern Online Bio Technologies Ltd, which is setting up the first commercial bio-diesel plant in the country, is spearheading a movement to popularise the cultivation of Pongamia and Jatropha seeds that help production of bio-diesel.
"Apart from educating farmers about the economic viability of pongamia and jatropha cultivation, we are also preparing a list of farmers who are interested in cultivating these plants to offer them guidance and help," Hyderabad-based SBT managing director N Satish Kumar told PTI.
The company is setting up what is billed as the first commercial scale bio-diesel plant in the country in Nalgonda district.
The plant work is in progress and we will start production by January next year, Satish said adding the capacity of the plant will be 10,000 tonnes per year.
The Rs 2 crore (Rs 20 million) blanket grant SBT received from the German government will be used entirely for farmers.
With the aid of International Crop Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics, farmers will be offered tips for profitable cultivation, Satish said.
The company had earlier signed a MoU with ICRISAT.