Chinese ethanol demand lifts Vietnam’s cassava exports

Vietnam’s cassava chip exports are soaring because of demand from China to make ethanol. Earnings for the whole of 2009 could be US$800 million, nearly double the figure in the first eight months, state-run Vietnam Television said. China, which needs to import up to 6.5 million tons of cassava chips per year for biofuel and feed production, has also been cooperating with Laos, the Philippines and Nigeria on planting cassava in those countries. Vietnam’s cassava exports from January to August jumped 69.5% from a year before to US$436 million, government data shows. Vietnam’s cassava output this year could fall to 8.6 million tons from 9 million tons in 2008 as the planting area could fall by 6% to 510,000 hectares. (September 23, 2009)