No Rapeseed Methyl Ester Means Noticeably Less Rapeseed Meal

(UFOP/Biobased Diesel Daily) The German and European feed markets benefit significantly from the production of rapeseed-based biodiesel fuels. Rapeseed meal is generated as a joint product of oil production in this value chain. According to the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP), non-genetically modified organism (GMO) rapeseed meal is the most important source of protein for animal feeding in Germany. In the future, extracted rapeseed meal could also play an important role for the human diet, underlined UFOP, referring to research projects the association supports.

Rapeseed meal can replace soybean meal completely without any loss in milk yield.

Whereas rapeseed meal has become a staple in animal feeding, sales of rapeseed oil are tied to its use in the biofuels market. The association has stated that supply of rapeseed oil by far outpaces the receptiveness of food markets (edible oils, convenience products). If future demand for rapeseed oil were to shrink because biodiesel is no longer counted as a contribution towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector, this would obviously have repercussions on rapeseed processing. In other words, two-thirds of today’s rapeseed meal production, approximately 3.4 million tons, would no longer be available. Imports of GMO soy would be needed to fill this gap.

UFOP has contended that this effect is given too little attention in the current debate on the future biofuels policy. Instead, there are indirect land-use change (iLUC) and “food vs. fuel” debates that don’t draw on hard facts and from which policymakers should finally free themselves.

UFOP has expressly welcomed the protein plant strategy adopted by the European Union and German government. Rapeseed, by far the most important regional source of protein in the EU, is an absolute must in this strategy, UFOP has stressed.

UFOP has also directed this criticism at the vice president of the EU Commission, Frans Timmermans, whose approach to implementing the Green Deal is leading to even more restrictions and competition-distorting conditions for arable farming. The association has called on the vice president to take into account the general potential regional added value has for sustained arable farming. According to UFOP, sustainable biofuels from European production should be an integral part of this farming system. READ MORE