March ethanol exports to China second-largest monthly total on record

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March ethanol exports to China second-largest monthly total on record

March saw a major uptick in U.S. ethanol exports to China.

Ron Lamberty with the American Coalition for Ethanol says the Chinese purchased their second-largest quantity on record.

“The amount they could use is astronomical. It (would be) a huge portion of what we make.”

He tells Brownfield the ethanol exports are likely part of the trade deal between the U.S. and China.

“I don’t know that there’s ever been a flat-out commitment to number of gallons, it’s all dollar amounts and general numbers. But it’s more an issue of whether they’ve decided to follow through on conversion to E10 in some of the provinces that they’ve decided on, and then delayed.”

Lamberty says despite the stronger March, overall U.S. ethanol exports in the first quarter are about 18 percent below the same period a year ago.  He attributes most of that to Brazilian tariffs, not the pandemic.

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