Chinese Ethanol Almost Competitive Enough to Export
by Xiaojuan Gao (Platts) The export arbitrage for China ethanol has narrowed to the point where transactions could be occurring very soon, market participants said Friday, citing a combination of factors including increasing international ethanol market prices and government support policies to decrease corn stockpiles.
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In US dollar terms, this means that China could theoretically export at around $505-515/cu m FOB, which even after adding freight to Asian destination markets seems to be competitive.
“I heard some Chinese sellers have expressed the intention to export ethanol this week. We would like to consider China ethanol if it can be done below $580/cu m CFR Ulsan [South Korea],” said a Japanese trader.
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With Brazilian prices high and Pakistan experiencing its inter-crop season, North Asian buyers and traders are trying to diversify their source markets, opening the door for China. READ MORE