By Growth Energy Senior Vice President of Global Markets Craig Willis
Ethanol exports fell over 50 million gallons (mg) to 99 mg for May — the lowest for the year — as major markets like Brazil, Canada, and India all saw major cuts in imports of U.S. ethanol. However, smaller ethanol markets around the globe continue to show signs of stability as they increasingly adopt ethanol fuel into their fuel stream. These markets stand testament to the growing popularity of ethanol fuel globally and underscore the necessity of ensuring free and open trade for growing markets.
Markets like the Philippines, South Korea, Colombia, and the United Arab Emirates all saw an uptick in exports for May and played a large part in keeping the export outlook for the month stable — remaining on pace to match or exceed last year’s export numbers. Volatility in major export markets will always be a concern and exports to larger markets declined by 54 percent in May. As we have discussed in the past, growth in smaller markets may therefore play an increasingly central role in creating a stable global ethanol outlook. Smaller markets currently make up nearly 40 percent of overall exports for 2019, and that share may grow as the year continues.
Growth Energy is committed to working with our international partners to ensure that growing markets reach their full potential by creating open and free trade between nations. As countries around the globe turn to ethanol fuel to reach their economic and environmental goals, we must create the circumstances for them to do so. Both smaller and larger markets often do not have the domestic ethanol supply to achieve those goals in full, and American ethanol producers are well positioned to help them do so economically.