Castro and Chavez on ethanol

The following is the transcript of the conversation between Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez and Cuban leader Fidel Castro. It has been edited for brevity.

…Chavez: Do you know how many hectares of corn are needed to produce one million barrels of ethanol?

…Castro: Twenty million. Well, of course. The idea of using food to produce fuel is tragic, is dramatic. No one is sure how high the price of food will rise when soy is being used for fuel, with the need there is in the world to produce eggs, milk, to produce meat. It is a tragedy. One of many today.

I am happy to know that you have taken up the flag to save the species because… there are new problems, very difficult problems and therefore to see someone become a great preacher of the cause, a champion of the cause, an advocate of the life of the species. For that, I congratulate you. Continue fighting [words inaudible] to educate the people so they can understand.

BBC