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Ecuador's president announces plans to develop biofuels

09 August 2008

The president of Ecuador announced in his weekly radio show that he would be promoting biofuels whilst "ensuring food security", entomointeligente.com reported.

President Rafael Correa has said that his government were reviewing a plan to "begin developing biofuels in the country".

Some industry experts have criticised the production of the biodiesel commenting that food crops are being used to produce ethanol and other biofuels thus causing food shortages and pushing prices higher.

President Correa suggested that Ecuador has enough reserve land for the food supply in the country not to be affected.

He explained: "Ecuador has the capacity to feed 80 million people and we only have 13 million people. In other words, there is land available to develop".

Ecuador currently imports gasoline at an annual cost of $3 billion (£1.5 million) and the president has said that making increased use of biodiesel would "save enormous amounts of hard currency".