Brazil becomes net ethanol importer as 2017 imports double on year

In Brazil, Platts reports that December saw ethanol imports jump 68% on the month at 84.6 million liters, 59.5 million liters of which entered through the port of Sao Luis in the Northeast, most of which came from the US. The country became a net importer of ethanol following the year’s imports totaled 1.82 billion liters, double that of last year. With US ethanol prices at their lowest since 2005 and Brazilian mills closing down for the inter-crop season, the jump in imports was expected.