Platts sees Brazil remaining net ethanol importer through 2025

In Brazil, Reuters reports that Platts sees the country remaining a net importer of ethanol despite an estimated 2.5% increase in production as a result of the RenovaBio policy, pegging imports at another 5 billion liters through 2025. The Northeast region, which typically imports corn-based ethanol from the US especially during the sugarcane interharvest season, is seen having a 1.04 billion liter deficit between now and February 2020. The 20% import duty on ethanol is not likely to be enough to dampen import demand into the deficit region.