Bio-fuel Boom To Create Food Shortages

[ozzydom]

Interesting debate on telly this evening discussing probable world food shortages because of traditional food crop farmers turning their land over to the production of bio-fuel crops.

They mentioned Thailand and the sub continent as areas that fully utilize land suitable for rice growing so any of this land turned over to bio-fuel crops will result in rice shortfalls.

[Maizefarmer]

Government is drawing up legislation as we talk about this, to prevent just this problem from occuring. As to how well it will be implemented is another story bearing in mind that as things currently are its not as if Thailand is producing enough grain/cereal crops to start with.

[ozzydom]

Government is drawing up legislation as we talk about this, to prevent just this problem from occuring. As to how well it will be implemented is another story bearing in mind that as things currently are its not as if Thailand is producing enough grain/cereal crops to start with.

I wonder what form the legislation will take,? maybe allocations,maybe subsidies for grain/cereal growers.

Another point they discussed was the surge in rainforest clearing in developing and third world countries as well as the ploughing in of pasture and grasslands to accomodate more and more bio-fuel crops, mainly in the US. The concern was that rainforest and pasture/grassland store carbon, which is released to the atmosphere when felled or ploughed.

[Khonwan]

...I wonder what form the legislation will take,? ...

Possibly registration? Restricted registration?? Read on:

Tapioca flour makers meet minister

The North Eastern Tapioca Trade Association's representatives on Friday sought a meeting with the Deputy Agriculture Minister Theerachai Saenkaew, urging the ministry to come up with measures to sustain tapioca prices.

Theerachai said after the meeting with Somchai Sritrakul, president of the association, that the association showed concerns over the overwhelming interest of farmers in growing cassava roots, which enjoy an increase in price due to demand for food and biodiesel production.

Theerachai said that the association fears that in the next year, tapioca prices could fall due to the overproduction.

"They asked the ministry to find measures to raise the yield per rai, reduce the plantation cost and maintain the export market. Preliminarily, the Office of Agricultural Economics has been assigned to have tapioca farmers registered and to investigate the plantation areas and processing plants nationwide. The information is necessary for the mapping of short and long-term strategies," he said.

- The Nation http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/02/15...ss_30065519.php

[chownah]

Any community which takes to heart and implements the idea that locally produced organic food is best will never have a shortage of food regardless of any bio-fuel boom.

Chownah

Edited February 17, 2008 by chownah

[Khonwan]

Any community which takes to heart and implements the idea that locally produced organic food is best will never have a shortage of food regardless of any bio-fuel boom.

Chownah

I do not understand the relevance of this to the OP. A reduction of land usage for food crops has negative consequences for people regardless of whether organic farming methods have been used or not. Unless, of course, you intend suggesting that organic methods increase productivity!

[ozzydom]

Any community which takes to heart and implements the idea that locally produced organic food is best will never have a shortage of food regardless of any bio-fuel boom.

Chownah

I think you will find that they are looking at the bigger picture, meaning the world as a whole ,including the umpteen millions who for whatever reason cannot produce or afford food for their survival.

ozzy

[chownah]

Any community which takes to heart and implements the idea that locally produced organic food is best will never have a shortage of food regardless of any bio-fuel boom.

Chownah

I think you will find that they are looking at the bigger picture, meaning the world as a whole ,including the umpteen millions who for whatever reason cannot produce or afford food for their survival.

ozzy

I'm looking at the bigger picture too I think. For people in communities within large cities to implement this idea means that they should support the closest source of organic food. I know that this is an alien concept to some/many/most people. Many people's lives have to a great extent been severed from the food production system which produces the sustainance which creates and powers their bodies and minds. Even in large cities though there do exist communities of people who endeavor to support the idea that locally produced organic food is best....to the extent that they are successful they need never worry about a food shortage caused by a bio-fuel boom. Also, if you consider this idea carefully, it need not be limited to only the food that I eat, I can work to achieve this ideal even in other communities by raising awareness of the strenghs to be had in situations where communities implement the idea that locally produced organic food is best....and to help them in its implementation.

Chownah

[chownah]

Any community which takes to heart and implements the idea that locally produced organic food is best will never have a shortage of food regardless of any bio-fuel boom.

Chownah

I do not understand the relevance of this to the OP. A reduction of land usage for food crops has negative consequences for people regardless of whether organic farming methods have been used or not. Unless, of course, you intend suggesting that organic methods increase productivity!

I think the idea addresses the most important aspect of the OP which is a possible shortage of food. Communities which implement this idea will not be dependent on Thailand or any other country for their food.

When Germany attacked Russian in the second ww was it ST. Petersburg or was it Moscow which grew its own food on misc. pieces of land around the city which had not been utilised before. I'm not suggesting that the world situation will get this desperate but it sort of illustrates how a different perspective can dramatically alter the equation of food production.

Chownah

[Maizefarmer]

.....oh dear oh dear......where are we heading..

[ozzydom]

No, chownah the debate was nothing to do with organic crops grown in pots or folks backyards ,you are pushing your barrow on the wrong thread.

It is about feeding the world, including the millions of starving men ,women and children in places like Darfur and all the other African nations stricken by drought and war.

They do not have the luxury of organic food growing,as well the methods you talk of are used to grow perishable crops in the main and are of little use as Aid food as it may take months to deliver.

In your continual banter about organic food ,you seem to forget that many of us grew up growing organically the difference being was that before chemical ferilizers and insect sprays and such ,it was the way everybody grew their fruit and veggies, Greenies and alternate lifestyle types only "rediscovered" what many off us already practiced.

[Gary A]

At this point I can't bring myself to worry about this. I would estimate that at least 30 percent of the land I see is not being used for much of anything.

If the crop prices come up to the point that it is profitable to grow something you will see more land being utilized.

[lannarebirth]

These are the signs of an intermediate term (at least) top in this biofuel farming opportunity. Personally, I've never seen the Thai government put farmers out in front of a long term profitable crop. I expect that the buyers will be setting the prices lower soon, like they always do here.

[Beardog]

These are the signs of an intermediate term (at least) top in this biofuel farming opportunity. Personally, I've never seen the Thai government put farmers out in front of a long term profitable crop. I expect that the buyers will be setting the prices lower soon, like they always do here.

Lan how true. Between the govn's control on money making & the bait & switch on the agreed price per ton- In the Bang Sare area it is very common to deliver the trucks & find out the agreed fee is less & if they go to another buyer same deal.

The gov. or the gas companies stand to make the most out of the fuel additives

[Loom]

From what I've read on this the Thai government is serious about raising the proportion of ethanol in diesel and gasoline. They are looking at sugar cane and cassava as raw material in the short term. both crops are at a significant surplus in the domestic market. So the ethanol targets can be met by diverting exports to Thai refineries presumably without causing shortages in Thailand.

There is also a longer-term plan to develop substantial oil palm production. I assume the conversion of palm oil is more efficient. The figure I've seen are 4m rai of new palm oil plantation.

The authorities believe that Thailand can be a regional biofuel leader. As I understand it, sugar cane is under government price controls. So they would need to offer only enough of a premium to attract growers to supply raw materials but could avoid passing along too much profit by maintaining export controls. (We saw five year low rice price realizations last year while the global market hit new highs. ha, ha...)

This is all happening at a time when global grain stocks are near multiple year lows, so market pricing is very sensitive. Even though the government is talking about diverting exports, importers will have to scramble for new supplies and this may be what's contributing to spiking product prices right now.

I tend to agree with Gary on supplies. Higher prices should naturally lead to higher productivity/supply but I've got no idea how much farmland is underutilized and how much land would need to be used for biofuel if oil production ends up slumping.

The Thai government was planning expanding biofuel use before 2004, so it must make sense even at lower oil prices. The plan is to get to 10% ethanol input for diesel and gasoline by 2012 or 11.5m liters/day.