(July 13, 2010) Washington - Total ethanol exports (denatured and undenatured, non-beverage) fell back to earth in May, plunging 58% from April's totals. U.S. producers exported just 17.1 million gallons in May, compared to 40.8 million gallons in April and 48.3 million in March. Still, May exports were well above the five-year monthly average. Further, through the first five months of 2010, the U.S. has exported 25% more product than in the entire 2009 calendar year.

Additionally, at 141.4 million gallons, 2010 U.S. exports are still on track for a record year. Exports totaled 157.8 million gallons in 2008 and 150.2 million gallons in 2007. The record year is believed to have been 1995, when 197.5 million gallons of denatured and undenatured ethanol were exported. Since January 2005, the monthly average for total ethanol exports has been 10.2 million gallons.

"Fluctuations in unpredictable ethanol export markets highlight the need for America to focus more attention on increasing its consumption of domestically produced ethanol," said RFA President Bob Dinneen. "America must stop dragging its feet and move aggressively to open up more domestic markets to ethanol. This starts with a full and complete waiver for the use of E15 by EPA. Bifurcating the market or limiting E15 use by vehicle model year aren't real solutions. Exports and the use of mid and higher level ethanol blends, such as E30 or E85, are important markets for ethanol, but they cannot expand fast enough to absorb increasing production and use of ethanol as called for by federal law. It is time for the Obama Administration to back up its rhetoric with action and increase the amount of ethanol American consumers can use."

Denatured ethanol exports totaled 11.2 million gallons in May, down from 24.9 million gallons in April. Canada and the Netherlands were the destination for 87% of the denatured ethanol shipments. After importing significant quantities in April, Jamaica, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and United Arab Emirates (UAE) imported virtually no U.S. denatured ethanol in May.

Undenatured, non-beverage ethanol exports totaled just 5.9 million gallons in May. Top destinations were the Netherlands, UAE and Mexico. Those three nations accounted for more than 95% of U.S. exports of undenatured, non-beverage product.
 

 
Source: Dept. of Commerce, Census Bureau, USDA-FAS; Export figures represent sum of “Ethyl alcohol and other spirits, denatured, of any strength” and “Undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80 percent vol. or higher.” Thus, the figures likely include ethyl alcohol exports for non-fuel industrial purposes.