By Blake Jackson
The U.S. Grains Council announced a significant milestone for U.S. ethanol exports. In the marketing year 2023/2024, the country exported a record-breaking 1.75 billion gallons of ethanol, utilizing 619 million bushels of corn.
This surpasses the previous record of 1.6 billion gallons set in 2018, marking a 43% increase from the previous year.
Canada emerged as the leading importer, purchasing 655 million gallons. Other major importers included the United Kingdom, India, Colombia, and the Netherlands.
Additionally, 140.5 million gallons were shipped to Japan in the form of Ethyl tertiary-butyl ether (ETBE), bringing the total U.S. ethanol exports to 1.886 billion gallons.
Ryan LeGrand, President and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council, said “This is quite a feat, considering Brazil has shut down their market through tariffs and China is not in the picture either. This is very exciting to see, and I look forward to moving to 2 billion gallons and beyond.
The surge in ethanol exports has directly contributed to an increase in the availability of Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS), a nutrient-rich byproduct of ethanol production used as an animal feed ingredient.
Kentucky Corn partnered with Tennessee Corn and the U.S. Grains Council to host grain and feed buyers from South America.
The visitors explored the entire corn value chain, from farming to distribution and ethanol production to DDGS. This initiative demonstrates Kentucky Corn's commitment to identifying new markets for Kentucky corn farmers.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-awakr10
Categories: Kentucky, Crops, Corn