Jatropha Oil Press
Jatropha oil is vegetable oil produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas, a plant that can grow in
marginal lands and common lands.
Jatropha Oil Press
Use as biodiesel
When jatropha seeds are crushed, the resulting jatropha oil can be processed to produce a high-
quality biodiesel that can be used in a standard diesel car, while the residue (press cake) can also be
processed and used as biomass feedstock to power electricity plants or used as fertilizer (it contains
nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium).
The plant may yield more than four times as much fuel per hectare as soybean, and more than ten
times that of maize (corn). A hectare of jatropha has been claimed to produce 1,892 litres of fuel.
However, as it has not yet been domesticated or improved by plant breeders, yields are variable
Jatropha curcas is known as one of the best candidates for future biodiesel production. However,
despite its abundance and use as an oil and reclamation plant, none of the Jatropha species has been
properly domesticated and, as a result, its productivity is variable, and the long-term impact of its
large-scale use on soil quality and the environment is unknown.
