U.S. ethanol exports totaled 69.3 million gallons (mg) in July, a 49% jump over June shipments and the highest monthly total since April. Canada (19.9 mg), Brazil (15.2 mg), and India (11.2 mg) were top destinations, while China was conspicuously absent from the market for the second straight month. Year-to-date exports stood at 516.4 mg, implying an annual total of 885.3 mg for calendar year 2016.
Exports of denatured fuel ethanol tallied at 22.0 mg, up 7% from June. As usual, Canada was the top market for denatured product for fuel use, taking in 19.9 mg. Peru was the only other major customer for denatured fuel ethanol exports, receiving 2.1 mg.
Meanwhile, undenatured fuel ethanol exports surged to 44.1 mg, nearly double the 23.6 mg shipped in June. At 15.2 mg, Brazil was again the leading destination for undenatured fuel exports. For the first time in three months, India was seen importing U.S. undenatured product for fuel use, bringing in 11.2 mg. The Philippines imported 10.3 mg, its largest monthly total of the year. Mexico (2.2 mg), South Korea (1.8 mg) and Saudi Arabia (1.5 mg) were other notable destinations in July.
Exports of denatured and undenatured ethanol for non-fuel, non-beverage use were 3.2 mg in July, with Canada receiving the lion’s share at 2.7 mg.
As for ethanol imports, the U.S. brought in 10.5 mg of ethanol from Brazil in July—identical to the June total. Year-to-date ethanol imports stood at 23.0 mg through July, suggesting annual imports of 39.4 mg.
Exports of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS)—the animal feed co-product from dry mill ethanol production—surged to a nine-month high of 1.094 million metric tons (mt) in July, up 9% from June. China was the top market for U.S. exports for the third month in a row, receiving 358,985 mt. Mexico (147,779 mt), Vietnam (116,180 mt), South Korea (80,460 mt) and Thailand (61,744 mt) were other leading DDGS importers. Shipments to both Vietnam and Thailand were the highest of the year to those countries. Year-to-date DDGS exports tallied at 6.45 million mt, indicating an annualized total of 11.07 million mt.
