President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (centre), is greeted by Robert Levy, president and CEO of the Jamaica Broilers Group, following the official opening of the JB Ethanol Plant - a subsidiary of the Jamaica Broilers Group - at Port Esquivel, St. Catherine, yesterday. At left is Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Jamaica is to benefit from a US$100 million (J$6.9 billion) lineof credit from the Brazilian Government. The money will be made available through Brazil's National Bank.

Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, made the announcement yesterday while jointly opening the $1.34 billion Jamaica Broilers ethanol plant at Port Esquivel, St. Catherine, yesterday.

"The $100 million credit line opened by the Brazilian National Development Bank is one of the ways that we are showing in practical terms our commitment to deepening this cooperation," da Silva said and noted that Jamaica will play a fundamental role in decimating renewable energy resources including ethanol and biodiesel.

The president, who is on a two-day visit to the island, did not give details of the line of credit.

Technical support

He, however, noted that his government was ready to provide Jamaica with all the technical support as it relates t renewable energy.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller underscored the need for the country to form alliances with new partners to fin sources of energy that are cost-effective and more friendly to the environment.

She also commended Jamaica Broilers for forging ahead in establishing the ethanol plant and urged others in the private sector to come on board.

"I urge other players in the private sector to follow the lead of the Jamaica Broilers Group and seize the profitable opportunities which are opening up within and outside the energy sector," she said.

She said the Government would be rolling out its ethanol programme with the introduction of a 10 per cent ethanol mix in all gasolene.

The Jamaica Broilers plant has so far made its first shipment of ethanol to the United States.

The plant and equipment were supplied by the Brazilian company Dedini and another Brazilian company, Bauche Energy, is providing the raw materials needed.

The ethanol dehydration plant can produce 60 million gallons of fuel-grade ethanol annually.

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