GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (RFD News) — Guatemala has begun nationwide E10 blending, creating a new export opportunity for U.S. ethanol and additional demand potential for American corn growers after several years of policy and technical preparation.
The program launched August 22, with ethanol blended into regular gasoline at fuel terminals before distribution. By August 25, about 75% of service stations were dispensing E10 as remaining conventional gasoline inventories were depleted.
Under the U.S.–Guatemala Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, Guatemala committed to endeavor to purchase at least 50 million gallons of U.S. ethanol annually. That volume is equivalent to roughly 18 million bushels of corn when produced as conventional corn ethanol.
The U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council says the rollout follows years of collaboration involving government agencies, fuel companies, ethanol producers and technical specialists. Premium gasoline could provide additional future demand.
Guatemala’s implementation could also serve as a model for other Central American countries considering ethanol-blending programs, potentially expanding regional opportunities for U.S. producers.
