NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — U.S. ethanol production moved lower in the week ending April 17, even as inventories kept building. According to the latest from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), output fell 7.1 percent to 1.04 million barrels per day. That equals 43.68 million gallons per day and marked an 11-week low.
Even so, production still ran 0.7 percent above the same week last year and 5.6 percent above the three-year average. The four-week average slipped 1.7 percent to 1.09 million barrels per day, equal to 16.72 billion gallons annualized.
The weekly drop in output matters because ethanol margins can tighten when stocks rise faster than demand. Ethanol stocks increased 0.9% to 26.9 million barrels, up 5.8% from a year ago and 7.0 percent above the three-year average for the week.
Regionally, inventories grew on the East Coast to a one-year high and on the Gulf Coast to a six-year high. Stocks declined in the other regions, while gasoline supplied — a demand gauge — dipped 0.4 percent to 9.06 million barrels per day.
Refiner and blender net ethanol inputs improved 5.3 percent to 921,000 barrels per day, the strongest weekly pace since mid-September 2025. Exports also rose 12.3 percent to 91,000 barrels per day, and EIA again reported no ethanol imports.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Rising ethanol stocks and softer gasoline demand bear watching, but stronger blending activity and exports offered some support.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
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