ePURE warns against too much Peruvian ethanol coming to Europe

February 5, 2014 |

In Belgium, the European Renewable Ethanol Association (ePURE) has warned the European Commission of surging ethanol imports from Peru since the entering into force of the free trade agreement in August 2013. It is apparent that an inadvertent change in the pattern of trade is occurring as a direct consequence of this trade agreement, it says. Peru is taking advantage of the elimination of import duties on ethanol by ramping up its exports to the E.U. and substituting the missing supply with cheap ethanol imports from the U.S.

Official data reveals that exports from Peru between January and October 2013 have more than tripled to over 93 million liters compared to 27 million liters during the same period in 2012. This surge has occurred in just three months immediately following the removal of import duties. The figure can be expected to be substantially larger once trade data for the entire year becomes available. The largest ethanol export in the country’s history occurred in December when 15,200 cubic meters of ethanol owned by Maple Energy was loaded for shipment to Rotterdam.

Category: Policy

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