German development minister calls for reguluation of biofuels market

Germany's development minister is calling for greater regulation of the global biofuels market to prevent its expansion from driving up food prices.

Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul says "it is unacceptable for the export of agrofuels to pose a threat to the supply situation of the very people already living in poverty."

She says the world needs new rules that balance goals including climate change mitigation, food security and social development.

Wieczorek-Zeul issued a statement in Washington Saturday a day ahead of the spring meeting of the World Bank. The meeting is expected to give priority to the issue of how to respond to the crisis faced by developing countries due to rising food prices.

Wieczorek-Zeul also called for the industrialized countries to end export subsidies by 2013.