23rd Mar 2006 11:05
D1 Oils Plc23 March 2006 March 23, 2006 D1 Oils Concludes Indian Jatropha Seed Purchase Agreement Further Deals Signed in Cambodia and Indonesia D1 Oils plc (D1), the UK based global producer of biodiesel, has signed a seedpurchase agreement in India. The exclusive agreement, concluded with VaishnaviHerbs, covers a minimum of 12,000 ha of existing jatropha planting across MadhyaPradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan, to which Vaishnavi has the rights. Vaishnaviintends to expand the planted are covered by the agreement significantly during2006. Harvested seed will initially be used for further planting but will becrushed to produce oil for refining as planting expands. In two further deals, D1 has agreed exclusive seed purchase agreements with Starin Cambodia covering 3,000 hectares of existing jatropha planting in thatcountry, and with Petrotek in Indonesia covering 3,500 hectares in the provinceof Nusatenggara Timor. Jatropha curcas, a tree that grows in Africa, South East Asia and India, is D1'sbiodiesel feedstock of choice. Jatropha seeds produce a high yield of vegetableoil that can be refined into biodiesel. Elliott Mannis, D1's Chief Executive Officer, commenting on the deals, said: "Weexpect these seed purchase agreements to be the beginnings of solid workingrelationships that can expanded to cover seed crushing, production of crudejatropha oil and byproducts and the establishment of nurseries to support futureplanting. All three partners have plans to expand the areas of jatropha plantingcovered by the agreements during 2006. The agreement with Vaishnavi gives usaccess to seed harvested from a significant quantity of existing planting inthree key Indian states where we aim to expand production in the future. Thedeals in Cambodia and Indonesia are a significant first step in extending ourportfolio of planting agreements into these new countries, and both have thepotential to develop into joint ventures covering wider activities. " Contacts: D1 Oils: Graham Prince, Communications Director Mobile: +44 (0) 7973 323840 Brunswick Group: Helen Barnes, Associate Partner Tel: +44 (0) 20 7404 5959 Notes to Editors D1 Oils plc is a UK-based global producer of biodiesel from renewable energycrops. We are building a global supply chain and network that is sustainable anddelivers value from "earth-to-engine". Our operations cover agronomy, refiningand trading. We are pioneering the science, planting and production of inediblevegetable oils; we design, build, own, operate and market biodiesel refineries;and we source, transport and trade seeds and seedlings, seedcake, crudevegetable oils and biodiesel. Our vision is to be the world's leading biodieselbusiness. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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