Zubiri: "Oil-Producing Countries Should Modify Their Greed"

During the weekly Sitio Fernandina forum in Greenhills, San Juan City, Zubiri said government’s biofuel program won’t affect the production of rice in the country.

He said the country stands to benefit a lot from the production of ethanol and biofuel from jatropha seeds and sugar.

"It is wrong to blame the rice crisis on biofuels and to ask for the suspension in the implementation of the Biofuels Act," said Zubiri who authored the Biofuels Act in Congress.

He pointed out that not one square meter of riceland was converted to crops for biofuel because "only sugar will be used in the production of ethanol, not corn, wheat, root crops, or sorghum to protect the food security program."

"The United Nations is barking up the wrong tree by quickly attacking biofuels for escalating food prices. It is the oil-producing countries who should modify their greed," he said.

The cogonal and idle areas of Iguig and Amulung in Cagayan Valley and Mallig in Isabela are among the best spots to plant the trees, said Zubiri, noting that 3,000 jatropha seeds are needed to produce one liter of biodiesel.

Zubiri said the country will "copy the module of Brazil and Thailand" in the production of ethanol.

He said the country produces 2.2 million metric tons of sugar of which only 1.8 million MT is consumed.

A ton of sugar yields 500 liters of ethanol.

View the Manila Bulletin story by clicking here.

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