Will the more use of ethanol raise food prices??

Question

Will food on the store shelf go higher since more and more ethanol is being produced??

Answer 1

Yes. There are several effects.



First, the demand for corn increases, and corn prices increase.

Second, more farmland is diverted to more profitable corn, so less soy and other grains are grown.

Third, with less supply of soy and other grains, prices for those commodities go up.



This may be bad, or it may be good, but it is happening.

Answer 2

It already has. Corn based food items like flour, syrup sweeteners, animal feeds and oil face lower supplies in a high demand economy because of diversions to the ethanol manufacturing here and in other countries. For all that it seems to work out as a break even deal due to shipping and a short shelf life to name just two. And I don't think anyone is stopping to consider how much CO2 is given off by the fermentation of the product alone. So we may be throwing good food away on a product that was not well thought out. You can in my opinion put a lot of the blame on the big auto manufacturing companies in the US for buying up our public transportation systems, primarily rail companies and steel in the beginning of the 1900's to increase demand for automobiles. No other country has such a need for cars and most other country's, esp European ones have great public transportation that frees one from car ownership.

Answer 3

In order for ethanol to make a difference in gas prices ALL the production will have to be diverted from food to ethanol. Even then it will only make less than a 20% difference. The biggest lie at present is that ethanol is the saviour. The other disadvantage is that ethanol is 15% to 20% less efficient than gasoline so your gas mileage will fall way off. Money savings will be nil.

Answer 4

Yes. And then what happens in a big drought? It will drive

the prices up even more due to higher demand. Well they

can use that as an excuse to raise prices. I would much

rather pay a higher price at the pump. After all, I can't park

my apatite .

Answer 5

No!. More ethanol production means more cane processing means more byproducts. using ethanol with fuel which is cheaper should bring down cost of transportation, hopefully it will passed on to consumers.



Rise of prices in corn and products was a foolish diversion from food to fuel, without increase in production.

Answer 6

It already has & a short answer to this question is Yes. Ethanol has carbon content in it. It is sometimes natural & most of it is produced by reacting to carbon with hydrogen to produce this hydrocarbon.



Due to decrease in carbon quantity, less ethanol is formed which results in higher price.

Answer 7

Yes. Corn and it's byproducts are in nearly every food product. Think of high fructose CORN syrup, a popular sweetener in just about everything. Plus, animals that produce milk or are used for meat often eat corn. Our newspaper said to expect that milk will be four dollars a gallon by the end of the year.

Answer 8

Yes, because the cost of corn is $12.00 a hundred. Corn is used to make enthanol. Since there is a huge demand in corn it is driving the price of corn up. Ranchers and Farmers use corn to feed livestock. This would drive up your prices of meats.

Answer 9

Food goes up because transportation, harvest and labor costs go up.... they go up because of fuel. In the summer we mix ethanol in our gas.... gas is fuel. Get it?

Answer 10

Yes. Supply and demand. Look at all the products corn is used in.

Answer 11

Yes it will. Some of the prices have already gone up.

Answer 12

Yep. Trickle down effect baby.

Answer 13

So they say, but just like big oil someone is getting ready to line their pockets.

Answer 14

I doubt it. There is plenty of corn. Ethanol is dumb.

Answer 15

sure will, but look on the bright side... you can drink out of your gas tank if you get lost and thirsty

Answer 16

No! But it will raise the price of GOOD BOURBON!!!

Answer 17

it already has