Call for countries to freeze or end subsidies for biofuel production

THE amount of grain diverted to ethanol production worldwide trebled between 2004 and 2008.

Dr Joachim von Braun, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington, said increased biofuel demand accounted for 30% of the rise in world grain prices between 2000 and 2007.

“When food prices are high, subsidies for biofuel production should be reduced, frozen, or subjected to a moratorium on biofuels from grains and oilseeds,” he said.