August ethanol exports fall to lowest in a year at 77M gallons

In Washington, the Renewable Fuels Association says August U.S. ethanol exports slumped 28% to 77.0 million gallons (mg), the lowest volume in over a year. However, a record 52.9 mg crossed the border into Canada, up 27% from July, with nearly 50 mg shipped as denatured fuel ethanol. This marks the seventeenth month that Canada has been our largest importer, securing an unprecedented 69% of the U.S. ethanol export market. Exports to South Korea pared back 29% to 6.6 mg (the lowest volume in a year) and shipments to Mexico eased 4% to 5.1 mg. Other larger importers included Saudi Arabia (2.6 mg, +1%), the Netherlands (2.4 mg, -79%), and Finland (2.2 mg, up from zero). China and Brazil again were not key market players in August. Total year-to-date exports topped 1.01 billion gallons, or 27% ahead of last year’s pace at this time.

The U.S. imported 12.8 mg of undenatured ethanol from Brazil, along with minimal volumes of denatured ethanol from Canada and China. Total year-to-date imports stand at 53.0 mg, or 52% more than last year at this time.