Germany advised not to import food for biofuel

* Govt advisors warn against biofuel feedstock imports

* Importing foods for biofuels could endanger supplies

* Biofuels industry says claims reckless

HAMBURG, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Germany should not increase imports of food to produce biofuels, because this could threaten the supply of food in developing countries, a report from a German government advisory body said on Friday.

"Even higher imports of agricultural commodities for bioenergy production should not be allowed to lead to an increase in world hunger," said Reinhard Huettl, chairman of the Bio Economic Council. "Securing food supplies must have priority over expansion of bioenergy."

The council, an independent group which advises the government on ecological economic issues, called on Germany to review biofuel subsidies and undertake a more measured consumption of bioenergy, avoiding simultaneous expansion of uses in vehicle fuels, power and heating.

Ten agencies, including the World Bank and World Food Programme, last June called on governments to scrap policies to support biofuels, saying they force up food prices.

British government advisers in December also called for more moderate biofuel expansion. European Union policymakers are debating the green credentials of some biofuels.

After the disaster at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant in March 2011, Germany announced it will close its atomic power plants by 2022. No detailed strategy has been made for the shift away from nuclear power, although a major expansion of renewable fuels including biofuels is planned.

"The expansion of bioenergy as part of the energy shift (from nuclear power) should be more strongly orientated to the economy, and food security should have greater priority," the council said in a statement issued during the Green Week food trade fair.

German imports soyoil and palm oil for biodiesel production, corn for biogas production and sugar for bioethanol feedstocks.

"Our bioenergy imports may not be allowed to create negative economic, ecological and social impacts in producing countries," said council deputy chairman Joachim von Braun.

"Bioenergy usage is currently increasing food supply shortages and is increasing food and land prices, which can lead to political instability in the developing and newly developing countries," he added.

INDUSTRY REJECTS CLAIMS

The German biofuels industry association (VDB) attacked the report as "not digging deeply enough" and ignoring the real market situation.

"Hunger is created by poverty, war and unjust distribution of resources," said VDB Chief Executive Elmar Baumann. "Claiming biofuels are responsible for hunger is reckless."

Biofuels bring cuts of at least 35 percent in polluting greenhouse gasses, he said.

The vast majority of German biofuels were produced from feedstock crops produced in Germany or the rest of the EU, which have to be certified as coming from sustainable farming, he said.

The EU biofuels industry has also been involved in a series of moves over the years to reduce imports of biofuels at dumping prices from developing countries, he said. (Reporting by Michael Hogan, editing by Jane Baird)