Bunge/Diester German JV cuts biodiesel production 50% in fact of imports

In Germany, Reuters reports that increased biodiesel imports from Indonesia and Argentina have forced the Bunge/Diester joint venture Natural Energy West to cut its biodiesel production 50% to 120,000 metric tons per year, continuing only to meet existing contracts.  The company’s CEO says that without German and EU intervention, the European biodiesel industry is at risk of collapse. The move follows an earlier announcement by Archer Daniels Midland who mothballed production at its German biodiesel production facility.