India’s first refineries for ethanol production from bamboo, with a daily capacity of 30,000 litre, will be built in Gadchiroli and Nandurbar districts.

An agreement of the project was signed between Nagarjuna Group and Lodga Bamboo Industries of Latur district. Former member of legislative council Pasha Patel, who is currently leading the bamboo plantation movement, on behalf of Lodga Bamboo Industries, and Dr Banibrata Pande of Nagarjuna Group signed the agreement.

The technology is jointly developed by the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and Nagarjuna Industries makes it possible to set up medium-scale bamboo-based ethanol plants with an investment of Rs 65 crore. As many as 60,000 tonnes of bamboo grown over 1,500 acres would be needed annually to meet the raw material requirements of the ethanol plant.