JHM Crops Ltd.

MISCANTHUS GRANT BROUGHT FORWARD

JHM Crops Ltd can confirm,following discussions with the Department of Agriculture,that the 2011 Bioenergy Scheme will be formally announced in the coming weeks. In previous years the Scheme was announced in the month of January with planting approvals not finalised until April.
The Scheme,which covers Establishment Grants for the planting of Miscanthus and Willow,will be processed much earlier for the coming year's planting season.
Application forms will be available in early October,with a closing date of mid-November. It is proposed to provide planting approval before the end of December.
JHM,the market leader in Miscanthus had sought adjustments to the Bioenergy Scheme to facilitate earlier planting of the crops in the Spring. This could only be achieved by moving the application process to the Autumn.
"From our experience,the earlier that ground preparation for planting can begin the more successful the establishment of the crop"said Joe Hogan,Managing Director of JHM Crops. "We are very pleased that the Department of Agriculture has agreed to bring forward the dates for the Bioenergy Scheme to allow adequate time for ground preparation".
There is now massive demand for biomass in the Irish Energy sector, with commitments from both ESB and Bord na Mona,according to Mr. Hogan. However he criticised the Minister for Energy,Eamon Ryan for slowing down the growth of the renewable sector.
"After several months of lobbying,the new REFIT was finally announced on 24th May,bringing some certainty to the market"he said.
"We are now heading into a new planting season,getting great assistance from the Department of Agriculture to improve the efficiency of the Scheme,yet the Green Party Minister for Energy has yet to implement the REFIT he announced five months ago". He called on Minister Ryan to implement the REFIT immediately.