Jatropha curcas

• Jatropha curcas’s has numerous uses in industrial pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, organic fertilizers and pesticides.
• Jatropha seed oil is an excellent base source for biodiesel.
• Jatropha yields reach 1.8 - 2 tons of oil per hectare
• Seeds contain some 35% oil, which is ideal for biodiesel production.
• After processing, jatropha seedcake can be used as an organic fertilizer, a protein- rich livestock feed and in glycerine production.
• Jatropha grows well on marginal land and therefore, it does not compete with food crops and offers a solution for the transformation of marginal lands into viable economic growing areas.
• Produces harvestable seed for over 45 years.
• Requires low rainfall (an average of 700 mm per annum).
• Absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere.

Jatropha oil is produced from Jatropha curcas. Currently, it is grown mainly in India, but last year there was a dramatic increase in the planting of Jatropha in other parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Oil content in jatropha seed reaches some 35%.

Jatropha curcas grows almost anywhere, even in gravelly, sandy and saline soils. It can thrive on the poorest, stony soil.

One hectare planted with jatropha (2,500 plants) will reduce atmospheric CO2 by 20 tons a year for 40 years and at the same time, those 2,500 plants will produce around 7 tons of seed which at 35% oil content will produce 2,400 litres of biodiesel. In other words, one hectare of jatropha will result in 8.2 tons of CO2 offset every year for 40 years.

Jatropha compares well with other oil crops: Soybeans and Canola have a relatively low oil yield compared with Jatropha — 375 kilograms per hectare for soybeans and 1,000 kilograms per hectare for Canola, compared with 3,000 kilograms per hectare for Jatropha.