EIA says 2019 ethanol exports fell to 2015 levels

In Washington, the Energy Information Administration says ethanol exports averaged 96,000 barrels per day (b/d) in 2019, the first annual drop in U.S. ethanol exports since 2015. Despite the decrease, total exports remained at the second-highest level on record. The United States exported more fuel ethanol than it imported in 2019, the 10th year in a row as a net exporter.

U.S. fuel ethanol exports fell by 14% in 2019 even though the number of export destinations increased from 34 destinations in 2018 to 39 destinations in 2019. Nearly half of all ethanol was shipped to Brazil and Canada, despite these countries decreasing their imports of U.S. ethanol by 34% and 5%, respectively.

Brazil, the world’s second-largest producer and consumer of fuel ethanol, decreased imports of U.S. ethanol for the first year since 2015, dropping to 22,000 b/d in 2019 but still accounting for nearly one-quarter of all U.S. ethanol exports.