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RFA disappointed in new Colombia duties on US ethanol
The Colombia Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism says it will impose a nearly 20 cents per gallon duty on US ethanol exports to Colombia.
Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper says the US ethanol industry cooperated while the ministry investigated US ethanol imports and the decision to implement tariffs is unjustified.
“There investigation didn’t find any concrete evidence of dumping so it was naturally very frustrating that they would go ahead and impose a duty when there wasn’t evidence of any practices that were undermining their own industries,” he says.
He says the industry remains committed to customers in Colombia.
“They want access to US ethanol and they understand it’s a good product at a good price and so we’re going to do everything we can to see that continue,” he says.
Cooper says the US ethanol industry will also continue expanding other export markets.
“We continue to see great potential in Mexico- we are seeing a little bit of ethanol exported into Mexico today, but we expect that the market could open up in the future and be a consistent and reliable market,” he says. “We also continue to hope that the door swings open to China. Ethanol was included in the phase one trade agreement, but we still have some barriers to entry.”
