Ramesh urges caution on use of biofuel for automobile sector

Even as the government is pushing for biofuel for automobile sector, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh today cautioned that it will not work in the land-scarce country plagued by food security issues.

"There are many in this country who believe that bio-fuel is a very important option that we should be looking at. But I urge caution in the approach," Ramesh said at a summit here organised by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

Giving reasons why he disfavours bio-fuel, he said, "We are not Brazil (a world leader in the use of ethanol as transportation fuel) and not a land-rich country... We are also a country of billion people adding ten million every year. So we have a very serious food security issue as well."

Marginal use of bio-fuel can be an option but it cannot be totally relied upon, he said.

In October 2007, under pressure from the world to cut emissions of the greenhouse gasses produced by fossil fuel combustion, the government had mandated that all diesel should contain 5 per cent biofuel by volume.

Biofuels are produced from crops and burn cleaner than fossil fuels. Biodiesels, a subset of biofuels, are produced from vegetable or animal oil and there is a view that biofuel target is a reason for food prices shooting up lately.