Ethanol Output Slips as Stocks Build Demand Falls

Strong production and rising stocks may pressure ethanol margins unless demand or exports continue to improve.

Farmland producing ethanol for the oil and gas industry. Railroad tankers cars lined up near a ethanol plant at sunset_Photo by photogrfx via AdobeStock_496174713.png

Photo by photogrfx via Adobe Stock

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD NEWS) — U.S. ethanol markets softened in mid-January as production declined and inventories climbed, signaling weaker near-term demand even as output remained historically strong. New data show pressure building on margins as gasoline consumption slowed sharply.

Ethanol production fell 6.4 percent to 1.12 million barrels per day for the week ending January 16. Despite the weekly drop, output was still 1.8 percent higher than a year ago and nearly 15 percent above the three-year average. The four-week average production rate edged higher to an annualized 17.42 billion gallons, underscoring continued run strength.

Inventories increased 5.2 percent to 25.7 million barrels, the highest level in 40 weeks. Stocks built across most regions and now sit slightly above the three-year average, adding to near-term supply pressure.

Demand signals weakened. Gasoline supplied fell 5.7 percent to a three-year low, pulling implied ethanol demand lower even as refiner and blender ethanol use rose modestly. Exports provided a bright spot, surging more than 80 percent week over week.

Farm-Level Takeaway: Strong production and rising stocks may pressure ethanol margins unless demand or exports continue to improve.
Tony St. James, RFD NEWS Markets Specialist
Related Stories
In this behind-the-scenes look at the newest episode of Where the Food Comes From, “Simple as Corn, Part 1,” written by show producer and script supervisor Donna Sanders, follow the crew during their time filming in Sun Prairie and Coloma, Wisconsin.
As we start the new year, let’s take a look at some of the legislative items from 2023 affecting agriculture that will continue to play out in the political area for months to come.
Shaun Haney, host of Rural Radio Channel 147’s Real Ag Radio, joined us Friday on Market Day Report with an update on the important vote involving the use of ag machinery in Canada.
In today’s production update, Total Acre Farming’s David Hula has an enlightening conversation with Jeremy Rountree about a new, industry-disrupting product from Brandt Fungicide.
The meaning of a “double-fraction” clause and the impact on future oil and gas conveyances—that is the topic of today’s blog post by RFD-TV Agril-Legal expert Roger McEowen.

Tony St. James joined the RFD-TV talent team in August 2024, bringing a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to RFD-TV and Rural Radio Channel 147 Sirius XM. In addition to his role as Market Specialist (collaborating with Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady to provide radio and TV audiences with the latest updates on ag commodity markets), he hosts “Rural America Live” and serves as talent for trade shows.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The USDA NASS report also confirms lower August placements.
Producers and processors should watch trade policy closely as tariff impacts ripple through seafood markets.
While symbolic, the WTO’s youth hackathon reflects growing calls for creative approaches to food trade and security, with potential implications for reducing losses, expanding biofuel markets, and stabilizing grain flows.
Ethanol producers face a widening opportunity window as aviation and marine fuel markets expand, with the potential to add billions in demand if policy and certification align.
All eyes will be on today’s Cattle on Feed Report, which analysts say could give a clearer picture of where the market goes next.
Corn and beef exports showed strong momentum, cotton sales surged, and soybean sales held steady, though China remains absent from the U.S. market.