Biofuel expert allays food-shortage worries

A biofuel expert yesterday rejected an international report claiming that China's plan to produce more biofuels could lead to food and water shortages in the country.

"The report misunderstands China's policy and situation in the area of biofuel production from corn," Li Shizhong, deputy director of the Institute of New Energy Technological Research at Tsinghua University, said. "China has long emphasized the use of non-staple food in making biofuel."

Only about 2 percent of the country's corn output, or about 3 to 4 million tons a year, is used to make ethanol. Much of the rest is used for animal feed.