Environment

Malunggay oil tapped as biofuel in US

by jayr_patron | April 10, 2008 at 07:22 pm

1472 views | 0 Recommendations | 4 comments

Okay, really, which one is top priority? News of escalating food crisis is all over the media... and then comes this. It may be good news at one respect but looking at the flipside, it does not address the rising cost of food not only in the Philippines but also around the world.

There is another wonder plant in the <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 />Philippines that is being tapped for use as biofuel source in the United States.<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O />
A Filipino biotechnology company reported yesterday that there has been a growing demand for Moringa oil or oil extracted from the seed of the malunggay plant in the US for use as biodiesel.
SECURA International said malunggay oil was tapped by the North American Biofuels Inc. last January for its biodiesel needs.
SECURA is now completing the farming of malunggay in 500,000 hectares of farmland to supply the needs of the foreign company.
SECURA International president Danny Manayaga said the Philippines should take advantage of its edge in supplying the world with Moringa oil as a source for biodiesel.
“Because the market is very near to us we can be sustainable,” Manayaga said in a statement.
To date, there are at least 165 biodiesel marketing companies that use soybean oil as biofuel in the US, Manayaga said, adding that in the next 50 years, Japan and Korea will be the largest markets for Moringa oil as biodiesel.

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Amy Judd

at 19:27 on April 10th, 2008

You're right, this almost seems to contradict the reports about the rising cost of food. I suppose it's wherever the most money is made that is most important... ummm... right? No, just kidding.

jayr_patron

at 19:42 on April 10th, 2008

"I suppose it's wherever the most money is made that is most important"

That's the essence of capitalism.

gdavis53

at 08:26 on April 22nd, 2008

I generally think biofuels to be bad, but this one has the advantage that food is a byproduct of the production as the leaves of the tree can be eaten. The leaves can be used sorta like spinich and are just as nutritious. So this biofuel could actually increase the amount of food production. Of course, they'd still be cutting down the jungle to grow it.