Emami Agrotech hosts Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at its Haldia Plant

Chandigarh, June 24, 2015: Emami Agrotech Limited (formerly Emami Biotech Ltd) , the bio-diesel and edible oil arm of the diversified Rs 10,000 cr Emami Group of Companies and the largest manufacturer of bio-diesel in Eastern India hosted the visit of Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping, Government of India at the Company’s Haldia facility today.

Shri Gadkari was accompanied by Shri Aditya V Agarwal and Shri Manish Goenka, Directors, Emami Group, on a tour of the bio-diesel facility with an installed capacity of 300 tonnes per day followed by a ceremonial “sapling planting” programme within the precincts of the EAL Haldia Unit.

India has a bio-diesel capacity of around 1.2 MnT (Million Tonnes) / year. However, due to lack of awareness, the current operating capacity is only a meagre 0.1 MnT per year. Bio-diesel is both environment-friendly and cost effective which is why the Union Government is supporting its increased usage. Recently, the government has allowed private manufacturers of bio-diesel to sell the fuel directly to consumers which is expected to remove the bottlenecks to a large extent for the manufacturers like Emami Agrotech.

“We are privileged to have Shri Gadkari amidst us. Bio-diesel is emerging as the alternative fuel with the benefits of a cleaner environment which accrues on account of its lower carbon emission. Witnessing this potential, this facility was set up at a cost of Rs 150 crore in 2008. Now, with support from the Union Government for bio-diesel, we are planning to up our ante with advanced R&D to maximize the manufacturing to its optimal level.  With the continued support from the Central Government, we hope for increased adoption of bio-diesel in ports, transport sector and railways. It is also a cost effective and greener alternative for the farmers of India who will get highly benefitted with the increased use of bio-diesel in this country” said Shri Aditya V. Agarwal, Director, Emami Group.

Earlier on the same day, Shri Gadkari visited the Haldia Port and inaugurated the bio-diesel dispensing machine to be used in any Indian Port for the first time for powering locomotives, port-based vehicles, various heavy-engineering machines and generators with bio diesel that would be supplied by Emami Agrotech Limited.

Shri Manish Goenka, Director, Emami Group, said “With Emami Agrotech supplying bio-diesel to the Haldia port, we are hopeful that it would generate interest amongst allied quarters also for bulk orders. Currently there is a growing international demand for bio-diesel as well and we supply to Europe, Singapore and China.”

Emami Agrotech Limited set up a state-of-the-art multi-feed Biodiesel plant at Haldia in technical collaboration with Desmet Ballestra, an Italian major. The plant manufactures biodiesel conforming to EN and BIS standards. It has daily production capacity of 300 tonnes of biodiesel presently. The plant is well connected with Haldia Port and state highways for easy transportation to international and domestic market.