Photo credit: Renewable Fuels Association.
U.S. ethanol exports totaled 171.6 million gallons in April, falling below 200 million gallons for the first time in six months as shipments weakened across several key markets, according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).
Canada remained the leading destination for U.S. denatured fuel ethanol despite a 14% decline from March levels to 64.8 million gallons. Exports to the European Union dropped 42% to 34.1 million gallons, the lowest monthly total in nine months. Strong demand from the Netherlands continued to support exports of undenatured ethanol.
South Korea posted one of the strongest gains among major markets, with imports rising 57% to a four-year high of 16.4 million gallons. Meanwhile, shipments to the Philippines fell 27% to 11.1 million gallons.
Canada, the European Union, South Korea and the Philippines accounted for approximately three-quarters of all U.S. ethanol exports during April, the RFA reported.
Additional export destinations included the United Kingdom at 10.4 million gallons, Peru at 8.6 million gallons, Mexico at 8.0 million gallons, Nigeria at 6.6 million gallons and Colombia at 6.3 million gallons.
Exports to Brazil fell to nearly zero as the country emerged from its interharvest period, while India did not import U.S. ethanol during the month.
Despite the slowdown in April, year-to-date U.S. ethanol exports reached 811.3 million gallons through the first four months of 2026, up 13% from the same period in 2025.
The RFA reported that U.S. ethanol imports remained negligible in April. Total fuel ethanol imports during the first four months of 2026 were 205,319 gallons.
Exports of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), an animal feed coproduct of dry-mill ethanol production, edged down 1% in April to 1.02 million metric tons.
Mexico remained the largest DDGS export market, though shipments declined 3% to 206,786 metric tons. Exports to Indonesia fell 15% to 139,653 metric tons, while shipments to South Korea increased 6% to 121,565 metric tons. Exports to Vietnam rose 13% to 114,782 metric tons, and shipments to Turkey climbed 32% to 94,663 metric tons.
Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Vietnam and Turkey represented roughly two-thirds of total DDGS exports during April. Fewer than 20 additional destinations accounted for the remainder.
For the first four months of 2026, DDGS exports totaled 3.98 million metric tons, an increase of 12% compared with the same period last year, according to the RFA.
Source: Renewable Fuels Association, "U.S. Ethanol and DDGS Exports Remain Strong Despite April Pullback"