RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Like other countries which are experimenting on it, Brazil is similarly encountering snags in the cultivation of jatropha as potential feedstock for biodiesel.

This country, which first etched its mark in ethanol production, is currently pursuing aggressive research that shall underpin plans into developing varieties and production models that can be adapted to semiarid climate pre-dominating the Brazilian northeast area.

Petrobras spokesman Erico Monte pointed out “several hurdles still need overcoming regarding cultivating jatropha.”

Among the major challenges are on the use of wild seeds, “which generate low productivity plantations on account of the lack of certified, genetically-selected seeds,” he said.

There are also “large incidence of pests and diseases; and the lack of blossoming and fruit maturation uniformity, which requires a great deal of labor;” and in turn, increases costs for the producers.

Brazil currently offers biodiesel as a blend to mineral diesel at a rate of 4 perent; but it was noted that the country’s “jatropha way” into it is still a long road to travel.

On the part of Petrobras, Monte noted the company is working on research via agreements with various institutions. Apart from scouring for the right varieties through studies, the oil firm is also looking into “providing family farmers with appropriate crop management knowledge.”

Similar to ethanol, biodiesel is also offered at Brazil’s retail gasoline networks as an option for motorists. The country currently produces biodiesel from wide ranges of oilseeds, including castorbean, African palm oil elaeis guianensis, sunflower, babassu palm, soybeans and cotton.

As far as ethanol blend to gasoline is concerned, this country offers it at a blend of 25 percent. It must be noted that such blend level fits with flex-fuel vehicles or those models designed to appropriately take on ethanol blend higher than the widely acceptable 10 percent.

Petrobras said it is still mapping out its strategy into direct ethanol production. Currently, its involvement is confined into purchasing the product from the plants and takes on the responsibility of marketing the ethanol to prospective takers.

For jatropha as a feedstock for biodiesel, the Philippines is also at its experimental stage. Its commercial viability can only be tested once producing units come on stream.

Other countries which took their plunge into the jatropha alternative, such as India and Australia, have not achieved much success on these fronts.