For more area of cassava crop for biofuel

A Filipina biofuel producer is seeking to develop cassava plantations in the country to support a 200,000 litre (52,834 gallons) ethanol plant in Central Mindanao, according to local media reports.

Eastern Renewables Fuel Corp. would need at least 12,000 hectares (29,653 acres) of cassava plantations to put up an ethanol processing facility. The biofuel producer is targeting 5,000 hectares (12,355 acres) next year after entering into contracts with local farmers to acquire 2,210 hectares (5,461 acres) for harvest this year.

Eastern Renewables' present plantations are located in Central Mindanao, mostly in Sarangani province. About 500 hectares (1,236 acres) of them are due for harvest around this time, Sidney B. Elejerio, operations manager of Eastern Renewables, said during an interview with GMA TV news.

Eastern Renewables had also entered into a memorandum of agreement with China's Junaxi State Farm to develop cassava plantations.