U.S. ethanol exports totaled 40.8 million gallons (mg) in May, nearly identical to April's total of 40.9 mg, according to recently released government data. Canada was again the leading destination, followed by the Philippines and Brazil. Year-to-date U.S. exports through May stood at 246.6 mg, implying an annualized total of 591.8 mg. Meanwhile, U.S. ethanol imports tallied at 22.6 mg in May, with all of the product coming directly from Brazil.
Exports of denatured ethanol for fuel use were 29.9 mg in May, up slightly from the April total of 26.2 mg. Canada again received the lion's share of denatured product (27.4 mg), followed by Peru (2.0 mg) and the Netherlands (467,534 gals.). Undenatured fuel ethanol exports totaled 9.9 mg, down 28% from April and the lowest since November 2012. The Philippines was the top customer for undenatured product in May (3.6 mg), followed by Brazil (2.9 mg), Mexico (1.7 mg) and the Netherlands (1.5 mg). Denatured and undenatured ethanol exports for non-fuel, non-beverage use tallied 1.0 mg.
U.S. ethanol imports for the month were 22.6 mg, up from 17.1 mg in April. All of the imports came from Brazil. Year-to-date imports stood at 158.7 mg through May, implying an annual total of 380.9 mg. This would be far below the 666 mg of imports needed to meet the RFS2 advanced biofuel standard in 2013, as estimated by EPA.
Year-to-date, the U.S. has been a net exporter of 87.9 mg in 2013. By comparison, net exports for Jan.-May 2012 were 318.8 mg.
U.S. distillers grains exports jumped to 725,393 metric tons (mt) in May, up 6% from April and the highest monthly total in a year. China was again the top customer for DG exports, receiving 243,452 mt. Mexico (122,215 mt), Canada (54,362 mt), Viet Nam (50,459 mt), and Japan (33,095 mt) rounded out the top five destinations. Year-to-date DG exports stood at 3.21 million mt through May, implying an annual total of 7.7 mmt.
