Argentina boosts ethanol blend to 12%

In Argentina, the government has boosted the ethanol-blending mandate to 12% from the current 10% with immediate effect. The move is meant to help support sugarcane producers during a time of low sugar and ethanol prices, as promised by the president in February. Last year’s ethanol production rose more than 21% to 815,407 metric tons, compared with domestic consumption of 803,640 tons, also up more than 20%. The policy should help to boost both production and consumption yet again.