Nellore: Andhra Pradesh chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the Vishwa Samudra Bio-Ethanol Plant, a project designed to support farmers by purchasing damaged and broken rice, reports The Hindu.
Calling it a “farmer-friendly green initiative,” Mr. Naidu said, “Spread over 24 acres, the grain-based ethanol plant has a daily production capacity of 200 kilolitres. It will supply ethanol to oil marketing companies under the Government of India’s Ethanol Blending Programme.”
Speaking to The Hindu, Vishwa Samudra Group Chairman Chinta Sasidhar said, “We have invested ₹450 crore in socio-economic initiatives at Nandha Gokulam, in addition to the land purchase. The bio-ethanol plant itself cost ₹340 crore. The facility will directly employ 250 people and indirectly generate jobs for over 300 others.”
He added, “The bio-refinery converts agricultural feedstock into ethanol, supporting farmer incomes while helping India meet its ethanol blending targets. The plant will procure around 15,000 tonnes of broken rice each month from more than 300 rice mills within a 250-km radius, ensuring steady income for local farmers. Ethanol production has grown significantly in recent years.”
