The Department of Agriculture has created a Task Force on Agribusiness Lands for Biofuels in response to the growing global market for biofuels.

DA said in a press statement that the task force, headed by Director Carlos Mendoza, will identify existing and new lands suitable for ethanol and coco biodiesel production. Secretary Arthur Yap said the DA Executive Committee met this week after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act 9367 or the Biofuels Act.

He said that cashing in on the global trend towards the use of crop-based alternative fuels will help the DA propel the growth of our agriculture sector, the press release also said.

The DA is among the key agencies tasked to draw up the implementing rules and regulations or IRR of the Biofuels Law, which mandates the preblending over a specific period of one percent coco methyl esther or coco biodesel in diesel-fed vehicles and five percent of ethanol in gasoline-fueled ones, the press release added.

Aside from identifying the areas currently planted to sugarcane, coconuts, cassava, sorghum, and other crops suitable as feedstock for biofuel projects, the DA task force will also pinpoint new areas that could be planted to these crops.

It will also look for possible partners among the local government units and the private sector that could team up with potential investors in developing agribusiness lands for the production of ethanol or CME coco diesel and will also map out possible incentives under the law to attract foreign partners to invest in biofuel projects.

Yap said the task force, which will also set up satellite offices across the country, will include representatives from the Philippine Coconut Authority, Sugar Regulatory Administration, Bureau of Soils and Water Management, Information Technology Center for Agriculture and Fisheries, National Agriculture and Fisheries Council , and the Agricultural Marketing and Assistance Service, the press statement added.*

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