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'Look at maize for biofuels'

Muldersdrift - South Africa must review its biofuels policy to include maize to allow farmers to use their surplus maize for energy production, the agriculture minister said on Friday.

The government unveiled blending ratios for biofuels three years ago but said maize, South Africa's staple food, could not be used in the production of biofuels in order to ensure food security and keep a lid on high prices.

"Agriculture is not only about food production but also concerns energy. So with the surplus maize, we as government must look again at our biofuel policy," Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson told a conference on Friday.

She also said the government was still looking for additional export markets for farmers who are expecting their largest crop of the grain since the record 14.42 million tonnes reaped in the 1981/82 season.
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