Jatropha Economic Effects

Economic effects from past Jatropha programs are not noticeable yet; in the contrary output in terms of plants, left to grow and produce to use has been considerably below expectations. Commercial Jatropha cultivation has not been viable so far, uprooting of several thousand acres Jatropha by farmers rather indicates that income and non-monetary effects have been below costs or at least below opportunity costs. Nonetheless, a few small markets found, indicate that there is a sustainable way to cultivate Jatropha in India without subsidy. The minimum wage being at par with 2 l of diesel supports this notion.
Cost factors feared or felt to be possibly underestimated are:
costs of fruit and seed
cost of middlemen
wholesaler
transport
processing
handling
storage
training
overheads for management and administration
water demand
fertilizer demand
quality of soils
tillage needs
plant care
light demand
time and
adaptation of engines

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posted by Sudha @ 8:15 PM