German rapeseed oil proving an export hit

Germany-based oil association UFOP has highlighted the declining level of rapeseed oil from German mills used within national biodiesel fuel production.

According to information published by the German Federal Office for Agriculture and Food, the amount of German rapeseed oil used for biodiesel fuel production slumped to 1.036 million tonnes in 2012, down 28% on 2011 and 43% on 2010.

It believes rapeseed oil is seen as more valuable as an export product: ‘Other EU countries are the main buyers with the Netherlands heading the list. It took close to 40% of the total export (300,000 tonnes) in 2012, with Belgium and Great Britain in second and third place taking just under 100,000 tonnes each.

Due to that buoyant demand, German oil mills produced around 3.6 million tonnes of rapeseed oil in 2012, a 15% increase over 2011.