Biofuels:Some opinions from Agrisector

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BiofuelsSome opinions from Agri-sector

• N. Seetharama, NRCS (ICAR), Hyderabad
• E-mal nrcshyd_at_ap.nic.in or N.Seetharama_at_cgiar.or
  g
• Website www.nrcsorghum.res.in
• NY Nayakar, UAS, Dharwad
• Email Nnayakar_at_yahoo.com

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Problems with sectoral approach

• Food, Fodder and Fuel go together for
  sustaining rural livelihood severe competition
  among above
• All things not considered even in the primary
  sector earlier example of Subabul for fuel we
  need others
• So integration necessary, not an option
• Sustainability of new technologies from the angle
  of
• Economics (not subsistence alone)
• Environment
• Inter-generation equity (long-term conservation)

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Tree genetics and improvement

• Genetic resources
• How much variation
• GEOGRPHICAL
• GENETIC
• What adaptive features?
• How much further genetic improvement is possible?
• Start improvement now
• Collection, evaluation, documentation,
  conservation, and utilization NBPGR's
  responsibility
• Germplasm exchange

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Plantation management

• What cropping pattern? first few years
• Probable threats
• For tree itself
• Working as alternate hosts for pests
• Resource utilization efficiency
• Synergy across agroecologies
• whole-plant utilization, value addition
• Ecological aspects other species in same or
  neighboring plantation/field
• Nodal agencies CRIDA IGFRI (agroforestry)

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Integration of

• Production in situ utilization
• Marketing surplus piggyback?
• Long-term benefits of knowledge sharing
• Better served by a regd. Society

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          Sorghum as a Raw Material for ethanol
Production  

• Recently, the consumption and area is
  decreasing
• Commercialization of Agriculture
• Public Distribution System (PDS)
• Transformation of our economy and globalization
• A retrospective step for the stability of
  livelihood of poor

 
 
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Recovery of by-products

• 250 Kgs residue per tonne of grain used for
  fermentation.

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Indian experience on use of grains ethanol
production

• Grain vs molasses based potable alcohol- imminent
  competition.
• Grain-based ethanol more expensive than molasses
  - based
• Costs in 2002 in eastern Maharashtra,
• Molasses Rs.13.00 to Rs.16.00 per litre
• Grain Rs. 21.00 to 27.00 per litre
• .

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Sweet Sorghum

• Sorghum that is rich in Stalk sucrose,
• Resembles exactly sugarcane for its juicy stalk
  but has advantage over sugarcane.
• Can co-exist with sugarcane
• Yield
• 35 tonnes of stalks per hectare besides
• at least 1.5 tonnes grain.
• stalk sugar are 16-19 .
• The recovery of juice from the stalk is above 45
• 3.5 tonnes / ha Jaggery, 2.0 tonnes / ha Sugar

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Advantages of using sweet sorghum over sugarcane

• 1. Can be harvested in 4 months after planting
• 2. Can be completely mechanized
• 3. Established from seed
• 4. Can be used as either food or feed
• 5. The bagasse has a higher biological value

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Advantages of alcohol production from sorghum

• 1. Superior quality of alcohol
• 2. Sustainable agricultural development in dry
  area
• 3. Minimum purchased inputs
• 4. Biodiversity conservation
• 5. Environmental benefits
• 6. Social marketing

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Limitations for sorghum use and means to overcome
the same

• Relatively higher cost of raw material
  Transportation cost due to huge bulk but is
  cheaper than maize and other grains.
• (stalks)
• Volatility of price of raw material (but always
  lower)
• Lack of guaranteed supply of sorghum stalks
  throughout the year
• Lack of market information
• Froth formation is more in sorghum than that of
  alternate broken rice.
• Huge solid content during decantation

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Recommendations

• 1. Provision of market information system
• 2. Portable alcohol from grain sources only
• 3. Cooperative (farmer's cooperative)
• 4. Tax holiday
• De-Anny Kelly campaign in Australia.

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Sorghum vs. sugarcane - Rs/liter

• Manpower - ?
• Steam
• Electricity
• Yeast
• Water use
• Coaster use
• Pollution control
• Raw materials cost Rs 11.00 vs. 6.80
• Cost per liter Rs 18.50 vs. 14.30
• By product sorghum- more latent heat, bagagasse
  better as animal feed
• Sorghum grain 1 tonne/ha not considered above
•  
•  

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Research and Development Support

• Government /public institutions for technological
  advancements
• These should be augmented by the user industries
  and their associates
• Private seed industry can play a mutually
  beneficial role

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Other players

• Biotechnology how soon? Cost?
• Sugar accumulation
• More oil from cereals
• Quality
• Processing quality
• End-use
• Integration of biological,social and economic
  aspects of the challenge