Ethanol Blog

Total exports of U.S. ethanol and dried distillers grains were down 25% and 16% respectively in November, reaching the lowest level of 2012, according to the Renewable Fuel Association (http://bit.ly/…).

In November, exports of non-beverage ethanol reached 40.4 million gallons in November, while exports of DDG were 518,396 metric tons.

The low export levels are a result of difficult operating conditions after the extreme drought conditions last summer, according to Geoff Cooper, vice president of research and analysis for the RFA.

The drought pushed up corn prices and forced some ethanol plants into either shutting down temporarily or scaling back production in order to protect flailing profit margins. This resulted in lower production of both ethanol and distillers grains.

The year-to-date total of ethanol exports for 2012 through November was 683.7 million gallons, less than the 1.19 billion gallon record set in 2011.

Similarly, exports of DDG were less in 2012 than in 2011. The year-to-date total through November 2012 was 6.89 million metric tons, compared to 7.64 mmt in 2011.

Cheryl Anderson can be reached at Cheryl.anderson@telventdtn.com

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