Ethanol from sweet sorghum
The Indian Crops Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru in Andhra Pradesh, Rusni Distilleries and Aakrithi Agricultural Associates of India (AAI) have launched a campaign with the dryland farmers of Andhra Pradesh, encouraging them to plant sweet sorghum for producing ethanol.
Other benefits
Sweet sorghum has other benefits when compared to sugarcane and maize as feedstock for ethanol production.
It requires only one half of the water required to grow maize and around one eighth of the water required to grow sugarcane; and has the cultivation cost is less when compared to sugarcane.
Vast acreage
According to Mr. G. Subba Rao, Director of AAI, the aim is to cover at least 4000 acres during this Kharif season. Farmers have been identified and seeds of improved varieties have been distributed to them.
The sorghum stalks from the farmers, have them crushed at the cluster centers and the syrup transported to Rusni Distilleries.
Significant step
The ethanol produced at the distillery marks a major success in the public-private partnership project.
This provides the farmers of the drylands with a source of additional income even while they do not lose out on food security.
According to Dr. William Dar, Director General of the institute, ethanol production has turned the dream of ICRISAT into a sweet reality.
Sweet sorghum ethanol does not compromise food security since the farmers can continue to use the grain for food. For more information contact
The project successfully blends ICRISAT’s scientific capability in developing sweet sorghum varieties with higher juice availability. For further information, contact Dr. Belum V.S. Reddy at b.re
ddy@cgiar.org, phone: 040-30713487
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Sci Tech
