Germany stepped up biodiesel exports, hits 2M tons for second year

In Germany, UFOP reports that the country’s biodiesel exports reached the level of 2 million tons for the second year running in 2019/20. Whereas the main buyer, the Netherlands, maintained its purchases virtually steady at the previous year’s level, Belgium ramped up its biodiesel imports significantly.

German biodiesel exports continued to rise further in the 2019/20 crop year. The amount of around 2.2 million tonnes translates to an increase of 1.4 per cent on the year. In other words, sales have climbed just about 40 per cent over the past five years. Traditionally, the Netherlands receive the largest quantities for onward exports to other EU countries or non-EU countries. In 2019/20, the Netherlands remained the main recipient country with imports of around 827,000 tonnes, approximately the same tonnage as a year earlier. Belgium purchased approximately 316,000 tonnes of biodiesel. This translates to a rise of 68 per cent on 2018/19. This means that for the first time, the country is the second most important recipient of German biodiesel. Belgium has taken the place of Poland, which ordered 240,000 tonnes, only about 3 per cent more than the previous year. France also purchased somewhat more biodiesel than a year earlier (+ 5 per cent). Overall, however, the country has cut back its purchases considerably over the past five years. In 2014/15 Germany delivered almost 180,000 tonnes to France. In 2019/20 it was only 61,000 tonnes.

Biodiesel exports to the Czech Republic dropped sharply to 36,000 tonnes (- 45 per cent). Sweden, Austria, Switzerland and the US also ordered less than the previous year.