According to the latest Renewable Fuels Association trade monitor, U.S. ethanol exports increased one percent in July to a three month high of 113.4 million gallons (mg).

Canada was our largest destination for the 28th consecutive month with a whopping 55% of global sales. A record 62.6 mg (bolstered by 58 mg in denatured ethanol)—a 23% month-over-month leap—was the fourth-largest single month U.S. exports purchased by any country. Essentially all remaining gallons were distributed to nine markets, including the United Kingdom (up 23% to 16.7 mg), South Korea (up 5% to 10.7 mg), the European Union (down 55% to 7.1 mg), Colombia (down 22% to 4.3 mg), and Mexico (down 6% to 3.9 mg). Brazil and India again were notably absent from the market. Year-to-date ethanol exports total 818.3 mg.

Exports of dried distillers grains (DDGS) totaled 993,018 metric tons (mt) in July, up five percent over June and the largest monthly exports in a year.

While imports softened 2% to 185,136 mt, Mexico held firmly for the 13th consecutive month as the largest U.S. DDGS market. Exports swung higher in Vietnam (up 11% to 124,184 mt), Indonesia (up 31% to 120,839 mt for a record high), and Turkey (roughly double at 89,859 mt) but scaled back in the European Union (down 9% to 68,879 mt), South Korea (down 26% to 64,888 mt, the lowest monthly volume in more than 3 years), and Canada (down 16% to 59,670 mt). Rounding out our top ten customers in July were Japan (56,371 mt), Morocco (30,041 mt), and Taiwan (24,526 mt). Year-to-date U.S. DDGS exports total 6.11 million mt, which is 9% behind last year at this time.