U.S. ethanol exports retreated for the third month in a row in June, according to RFA analysis of government data released today, dropping 7% from May to 60.2 million gallons (mg). Canada (22.9 mg, or 38%), the United Arab Emirates (12.7 mg, or 21%) and the Philippines (7.4 mg, or 12%) accounted for the bulk of exports in June, followed by South Korea (4.2 mg) and the Netherlands (4.2 mg). No ethanol exports were shipped to Brazil in June. Outside of Canada, Brazil has been the largest customer for U.S. ethanol exports, averaging 12.3 mg per month over the past five years. Through the first half of the year, exports stood at 437 mg, indicating an annualized rate of 874 mg.
The United States reduced monthly exports of undenatured ethanol for fuel use in June by 15% to 13.4 mg, dropping to the lowest level in more than a year. South Korea (4.2 mg, or 31%), the Philippines (4.0 mg, or 30%) and Mexico (2.7 mg, or 20%) accounted for the lion's share of exports, with Singapore, Peru, Colombia and Jamaica rounding out the list. June exports of denatured ethanol fuel increased 11% to 44.1 mg. Canada (21.0 mg), the United Arab Emirates (12.6 mg), the Netherlands (4.2 mg), the Philippines (3.3 mg) and Jamaica (2.8 mg) accounted for virtually all of the volume exported. The United States exported 448,266 gallons of undenatured ethanol for non-fuel, non-beverage use and 2.2 mg of denatured ethanol for non-fuel, non-beverage use in June, in line with recent norms.
Imports of ethanol fell again in June, with the U.S. taking in just 717,320 gallons of denatured product. The data show that 99% of imported ethanol originated from Spain and the remainder from France. Total year-to-date 2015 imports through June are 17.1 mg, roughly a quarter of imports at this time last year. In June, the U.S. claimed its 22nd month in a row as a net exporter.
June exports of U.S. distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS)—the animal feed co-product manufactured by dry mill ethanol plants—bounded 12% higher to 1,306,623 metric tons (mt), breaking the previous monthly record set in July 2014. Monthly exports to China reached an historic high of 967,529 mt in June—with China maintaining a 74% market share for the second month in a row. Exports to the rest of the world in June reversed a 7-month decline as monthly export volumes increased 10%. Mexico (76,784 mt, or 6% of exports), Canada (38,501 mt), Egypt (35,197 mt), Thailand (23,982 mt) and Ireland (22,700 mt) captured most of the remaining global market for U.S. DDGS in June. Year-to-date exports for 2015 are 5.8 million mt, implying an annualized total 11.6 million mt—almost one-third of projected domestic production.
