Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the acreage under bio-fuel crops in each of the past five years; her projections in this regard in the next five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30447/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The areas grown under bio-fuels over the past five years are as follows:

2003: 116.63 hectares;

2004: 754.66 hectares;

2005: 2,500.49 hectares;

2006: 4,289.99 hectares;

2007: 7,489.49 hectares.

The future outlook depends on a number of factors, not least profitability at farm level. In the short-term, the soaring world demand for grain is likely to lead to an increase in the area devoted to conventional cereal crops in Ireland and elsewhere in response to the current high grain prices. More long-term projections are difficult to forecast at this stage. Much will depend on the rate of development of production and consumption patterns for biofuels over the next number of years.