news/updates
PNOC-AFC sticks to jatropha program
By Myrna Velasco
Manila Bulletin
September 12, 2007
While it has yet to put up its pilot jatropha refinery, state-run subsidiary Philippine National Oil Company-Alternative Fuels Corporation (PNOC-AFC) is affirming its commitment to stick with this fuel crop in propagating the country's biofuels program.
PNOC-AFC chairman Renato Velasco said "we have already dealt with the issues and hesitations on jatropha as a feedstock not only through our research initiatives with the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) but also through actual field tests in various plantations."
Velasco said actual field tests in plantations in Talakag and Camp Kibaritan in Bukidnon, Barangays Lumbia and Pagatpat in Cagayan de Oro City, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, and the Royal Green Energy Development Corporation in Palawan.
Aside from Land Bank of the Philippines, it was bared that several other financing firms are open to lending for jatropha plantation ventures in the country. These include Development Bank of the Philippines, Standard Chartered, Barclays, Citigroup and United Coconut Planters Bank.
It must be noted that PNOC-AFC's testing activities are just confined on the viability of plantation sites, but there is none yet on the content and properties of the biofuel extracted from jatropha, similarly to what was done with the coco methyl ester (CME) before it was offered in the oil market on a commercial scale.
News of India's failed experiment on jatropha supposedly due to its low soil fertility has been triggering uncertainties, yet PNOC-AFC is indicating that it is ready to buck the odds.
For now, PNOC-AFC is banking on the result of Royal Green's experimentation, which reportedly showed positive result "on the viability of jatropha propagation particularly in Palawan."
Velasco cited that based on Royal Green's research and experience, "the traditional cultivation practices in India and Africa are not suited to the climate and soil conditions in Palawan and Mindanao", therefore, he begged that parallel comparison must not be done nonchalantly.
He further opined that "if provided with appropriate management inputs, the yield levels (for jatropha crops) can still be increased."
He added that crop improvement and scientific management can produce "very promising strategy in further increasing yield levels so that variation across ecosystems may be comparable."
The Philippines reportedly logged a higher annual rainfall compared with African nations and India.
"The average rainfall in Palawan is 2,600 millimeters (mm) compared with 600mm in India. In addition, the fertility of soil in Palawan and Mindanao are far better than that of India since most lands in India are quite dry, hot and red in color," he said. (MMV)
