Germany’s biodiesel exports in decline

According to data from the German Federal Statistical Office, exports of biodiesel from Germany declined around 11% from the previous year's record volume of 3.22 million tonnes, reaching 2.90 million tonnes in 2025.
Net exports decreased 0.47 million tonnes to 1.14 million tonnes. The Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP) has contended that these exports mean that potential for climate change mitigation in the transport sector is also exported, and has called for adjustments to be made during the ongoing parliamentary process on greenhouse gas reduction quota legislation.
The Netherlands remained by far Germany's most important trading partner, with Rotterdam serving as the central hub in the international trade of biofuels.
Delivery volumes remained largely unchanged at 1.4 million tonnes. The same applies to deliveries to Belgium.
At 708,700 tonnes and with a 1% year-on-year increase, Belgium ranks second among the most important markets for biodiesel from Germany.
Austria received 121,700 tonnes of German biodiesel, representing an increase of roughly 29%.
In contrast, exports to Poland dropped 10 per cent to 356,700 tonnes. Exports to Switzerland, France, Latvia, Sweden and other EU countries also declined.
According to investigations by Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft, Germany sourced approximately 1.7 million tonnes of biodiesel from abroad, which was up nearly 7% compared to 2024.
The largest volumes came from the Netherlands, Belgium, Malaysia and Poland. Notably, imports from Poland rose approximately 25% to 80,100 tonnes.
By contrast, imports from Malaysia decreased just less than 16%.
In view of the deliberations on the further increase of the GHG reduction quota in the German Bundestag, the UFOP has called for raising the cap on biofuels from cultivated biomass from 4.4% to 5.8%, the level permitted under EU law.