Biofuels

16th September 2007

Increased demand for biofuels has forced a rise in bread prices – to a new high of more than £1 a loaf.

And campaign group Greenpeace estimates there will be a 30 per cent rise in wheat prices by 2020 due to new competition for the crop, which can be used to produce the eco-friendly fuel.

In the meantime, bread giant Premier Foods has announced a hike of up to eight pence on its products – and one supermarket chain is now charging £1.22 for a loaf of Hovis. But not all green fuel crops compete with food groups. D1 Oils produces biodiesel using inedible vegetable oil from Indian Jatropha tree seeds, while future biofuels are being developed from crop waste or by-products.