Purnia. The country’s first green field grain based ethanol plant in Kenagar block of Purnia district of Bihar is being considered as a big gift for the maize farmers of Seemanchal. It is being expressed that due to the availability of market to the maize farmers of this region, the area under cultivation is sure to increase.
Ethanol will be produced from maize, sugarcane and rice (broken rice) in this plant built at a cost of Rs 105 crore. The daily production capacity of the plant is 65 thousand liters.
The officials of the District Industries Center also believe that maize and paddy growers will get a lot of benefit from this plant. At present, maize is cultivated in 90 thousand hectare area only in Purnia district. Apart from this, Katihar is also famous for the cultivation of maize in Araria and Kishanganj.
It is being expressed that now other farmers of this area will also join maize cultivation.
Minister Lacey Singh also believes that maize and paddy are cultivated on a large scale in Purnia district, but maize farmers could not get the right price. After the ethanol plant is opened, farmers will be able to get good price for poor quality maize and paddy as well.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had also said at the inauguration of the plant that the production of maize is high in Bihar, but all that goes out. By setting up an ethanol plant here, the surrounding farmers will be greatly benefited and employment will also increase.
About 130 tonnes of rice bran along with 145-150 tonnes of maize or rice will be procured directly from the local farmers for the green field grain based ethanol plant.
It is noteworthy that on Saturday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the country’s first green field grain based ethanol plant in Kenagar block of Purnia.
Industries Minister Shahnawaz Hussain said that if the ethanol industry fulfills the expectation of employment for the youth of Bihar, it will also lead to a tremendous increase in the income of the farmers of Bihar.
He said that the Greenfield Grain Based Ethanol Plant set up by Eastern India Biofuels Private Limited at Purnia has a production capacity of 65 thousand liters per day.
27 tonnes of DDGS will be produced as a byproduct from this plant. It will be sold for animal feed purpose and thus will help both milk and poultry farmers in Bihar.
—AnyTV News
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