Dutch Brewers Say Enthusiasm for Biofuels Waning

Enthusiasm for biofuels is receding and European legislators have become more sensitive to the needs of the food industry, hit by soaring commodities prices, the head of the Dutch brewers’ association (CBK) says.

“I am not as afraid as last year that vast areas will be planted with rape seed, replacing grain crops,” Jack Verhoek told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday. “I think wisdom has returned.”
Lawmakers and scientists are warning of problems with large-scale planting of crops for first-generation biofuels, which have been blamed in part for high world food prices because of competition for farmland, Verhoek said.

“I think if this understanding continues to grow, then people will realise we shouldn’t use land for growing fuel crops alone. We should use it first for grain,” he said.

The CBK, which represents such brewers as Heineken, advocates a “second generation” of biofuel, which are produced from non-food crops.

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