11. Palm oil plantations in the Republic of Yaveria have produced more palm oil this year than they can sell. Some plantation managers plan to process their surplus oil into fuel for diesel engines used on their plantations. However, this is unlikely to be a cost-effective use for the surplus, since processing palm oil into a gallon of diesel fuel costs more than the average retail price for a gallon of ordinary diesel fuel in Yaveria.
Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest defense of the plantation managers' plan against the criticism?