At the invitation of the India-China Friendship Association (ICFA), XTBG deputy director Peng Daiping headed up a 5-person delegation to northwest India for a week-long study on the potential and viability of bio-diesel with special reference to Jatropha curcas from June 16.

During their stay in Chandigarh, the delegation visited Indian National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NBARD), held talks with Prof. K.N.Pathak, Vice-chancellor of Panjab University, paid visit to  Mr. Tewari, the president of ICFA.

  When in Panjab, the delegation visited a private farm near Jalandhar with Jatropha curcas plantation and relevant bio-diesel processing equipment, and then visited Cultivation and Experiment Base of Jatropha curcas  in Panjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.

   With the help of Dr. Kohli, Professor at the Department of Botany of Panjab University, the delegation visited the Delhi College of Engineering (DCE). Prof. Naveen Kumar of DCE introduced the status quo of bio-diesel and its development planning to the year of 2012 and showed the delegation around their Bio-diesel Laboratory.

The delegation visited related agricultural departments of Rajasthan state based in Jaipur, and listened to the introduction of the development of bio-diesel in that region. Then they made field research in the Rajasthan Jojoba Plantation and Research base. The delegation got some samples of jojoba oil and Jatropha oil as gifts.

In India, the research and development of bio-diesel started from the mid 1980s. From 2003 on, Jatropha curcas developed fairly fast since many research institutes, universities, banks, farms, enterprises and NGOs began to engage in its breeding, propagation, plantation, cultivation and processing, etc. The Indian Government has attached much importance to bio-diesel. The Indian National Planning Commission has made clear development plan on bio-diesel. India will plant Jatropha curcas on a large scale, and bio-diesel derived from Jatropha curcas seeds will account for 20 percent of all diesel consumption in the country by 2012.  

   Wherever they went, the delegates were warmly welcomed. All the major agencies the delegation visited are willing to cooperate with XTBG in order to promote the research and development of bio-diesel energy.

Dr. Kohli of Panjab University will soon visit XTBG on invitation.