Emami Agrotech Ltd (formerly Emami Biotech Ltd), an unlisted entity of Emami group, will expand its edible oil refining capacity at its facility here by 400 tonnes per day (tpd). This addition will take the total capacity to 2,000 tpd.

“The ₹100-crore expansion project will fully be commissioned next month,” said Manish Goenka, a director, on Wednesday.

He said the company was looking at the possibility of setting up another port-based refining capacity in Gujarat.

“We are scouting for land. We propose to set up a new 2,000 tpd refining facility at a cost of around ₹250 crore in Gujarat for the western region. Currently, Emami’s edible oils are available in the eastern and southern regions. We also have a 1,300-tpd unit at Krishnapatnam,” Goenka added.

At Haldia, Emami also has a 300-tpd bio-diesel unit.

The unit was set up in 2008 at a cost of ₹150 crore. It produces bio-diesel from stearin, a residue derived from oil palm, while extracting the oil.

Goenka said the recent Government decision to allow direct sale of bio-diesel to consumers for use in vehicles, tractors and locomotives would expand this clean energy product's market. So far, bio-diesel was permitted for industrial use only. “We generally price bio-diesel around ₹3 lower than the (petroleum) diesel," the Emami Director observed.

In 2014-15, Emami Agrotech recorded a turnover of ₹4,500 crore and posted a net profit of around ₹15 crore.

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