COFCO: China should prioritize ethanol production

National Cereals, Oils, and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO) issued a statement urging the government of China to boost its production of fuel ethanol, in its efforts to reduce carbon emissions and oil dependency. There is an on-going controversy over the importance of feedstock for producing ethanol versus producing food supply. Yue Guojun, assistant president of COFCO, states, “Instead of posing a threat to China’s food supply, fuel ethanol will be in the spotlight of international energy consumption, as oil price hikes continue and environmental protection awareness grows.” He went on to say that the development of fuel ethanol would not affect China’s food supply as no more than 4 million tons of crops would be used to produce it, which is less than 1% of China’s annual crop harvest. COFCO recently established the National Biofuel Research and Development Center in Zhaodong, Heilongjiang Province. The center is charged with developing cellulosic ethanol from biomass, such as corn stalks and perennial grasses. (April 26, 2011)