Pakistan-based trade organisation calls for worldwide ban on biofuels production

The Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders (ICST) has called for a worldwide ban on biofuels production, claiming that it contributes to world food shortages.

Using crops to produce fuel in a bid to reduce dependence on fossil fuel is a failed initiative which should be abandoned immediately, ICST’s Shahid Rasheed Butt told the Daily Times.

He said in a statement that imposing a ban on producing biofuel could reduce the world’s food shortages – that lead to malnutrition and starvation.

Rasheed said that all the countries, especially the US, should “revisit politically motivated policies like reduced dependence on fossil fuels” and “care for hungry mouths” instead.

He said that suspension of biofuel production, relaxing fuel blending rules and discouraging fresh investments in the production could boost supplies to people and livestock.

He claimed that the renewable energy production in the US is equivalent to only 40% of the total maize production – which could be channelled towards edible needs. Biofuels account for 12% – or nine billion gallons – of all automotive fuels sold in the US (with every gallon is derived from 12 kg of corn), according to Butt.

Around 350 kilogrammes of corn is converted into fuel to fill the tank of a car which is sufficient to feed two persons in any developing country for a year, he added.