WASHINGTON — Some top international food scientists Tuesday recommended halting the use of food-based biofuels, such as ethanol, saying it would cut corn prices by 20 percent during a world food crisis.
The three senior scientists with an international research consortium pushing a biofuel moratorium said nations need to rethink programs that divert food such as corn and soybeans into fuel, given the burgeoning worldwide food crisis.
If leading nations stopped biofuel use this year, it would lead to a price decline in corn by about 20 percent and wheat by about 10 percent from 2009-10, said Joachim von Braun. He heads the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, the policy arm of the research group. The United States is the biggest biofuel producer.
He and the other scientists said work should be stepped up on the use of nongrain crops, such as switchgrass, for biofuel.
Scientists say the diversion of corn and soybeans for fuel forces prices higher and removes farm land from food production.
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