Deforestation footprints for jointly produced food products

Abstract Deforestation footprints rely on information on import flows. Imports of semi-processed food commodities are converted into commodity equivalents. The paper distinguishes between product yields and conversion factors. It is conversion factors, which relate the commodity requirement for unit production of the semi-processed product, that are the required to estimate deforestation footprints. The simple reciprocal relationship between yields and conversion factors breaks down when there are jointly produced products such as soybean oil and meal. The paper also examines the treatment of processing waste in footprint estimation. Alternative procedures are examined and applied to the footprints of EU imports of cocoa, oil palm and soy products.