McLeod Russel has over the past five years been closely working with local towns and villages throughout North East India with the cultivation of Jatropha (Jatropha curcas).

The Jatropha plant originated in South America where, from ancient times, extracts from its leaves and seeds were used as medicines. Jatropha’s medical qualities derive from crucin, a chemical present in the plant’s shoots and leaves, which is effective as an antiseptic, but can be poisonous if digested in large quantities.

Jatropha vegetable oil can be extracted from the seeds by crushing. It is inedible and has been used for centuries to make basic oil for lamps.

Jatropha has the potential to become one of the world’s key energy crops. Crude vegetable oil, extracted from the seeds can be refined into bio diesel.

The Jatropha plant grows in tropical and subtropical regions, is hardy and relatively drought resistant.  Trees have a life span of up to 30 years and, because Jatropha grows on non-arable, marginal and waste land (therefore not competing for good agricultural land with vital food crops) the plant offers vast potential to the North East Indian region.

• Cash Crop for the farmers
• Soil conservation
• Investment into isolated regions
• Self sufficiency and wealth generation

The spent seeds, once crushed, provide for an excellent organic fertilizer in addition to other potential uses including animal feed and burning in briquettes for power generation.

Refining the oil into bio diesel also produces glycerol, which can also be burned as a fuel.  Efficient use of by-products ensures that Jatropha growing is economically viable and energy efficient.

To visit the D1 Oil (D1 Williamson Magor Biofuel Limited) website please click here

 

McLeod Russel has donated land and buildings on our tea gardens for public infrastructure projects such as the Police station, local college, bus stop and water treatment plant on Hunwal Tea estate.

 

As part of McLeod Russel's continued belief in creating a sustainable Agro Policy we have initiated an environmentally friendly scheme of composting organic matter by use of earthworms.

Vermiculture or Vermicomposting is derived from the Latin term 'vermis', meaning worms. Vermicomposting is essentially the consumption of organic material by earthworms.

For centuries, earthworms have been used as a means of decomposing wastes and improving soil structure. The breeding and propagation of earthworms and the use of its casting has become an important method of waste recycling throughout world.

Increasing numbers of businesses worldwide are successfully employing vermiculture technology as an excellent soil conditioner and McLeod Russel has taken this sustainable practise to benefit our tea gardens, our environment and to reduce our chemical footprint.

Vermicompost is an ecofriendly natural fertilizer prepared from biodegradable organic waster and is free from chemical inputs It does not have any adverse effect on soil, plant and environment It improves soil aeration, texture and tilth thereby reducing soil compaction It improves water retention capacity of soil because of its high organic matter content It improves better root growth and nutrient absorption It improves nutrient status of soil - both macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients