Argentina failing to meet 2010 ethanol target - report

(ADPnews) - Nov 23, 2010 - Argentina is failing to meet its ethanol output target in 2010 due to the combination of droughts, frosts and the lack of investments in the sugar refineries, Argentine daily La Gaceta reported.
The ethanol plants, included in the national programme for the production and sales of biofuel in the domestic market, has produced only 87,000 cu m (3.07 million cu ft) so far, while the annual target was fixed at 117,000 cu m, according to data given by the source.
A decision of Argentina's Internal Commerce Secretariat to block the monthly update of ethanol and biodiesel prices may further delay the national biofuel plan. Ethanol prices were frozen in September 2010, as the government wants to avoid an increase in petrol prices. Argentina has an mandatory blend of petrol (gasoline) with ethanol.
Meanwhile, the good sugar price encourages some sugar refiners to sell more sugar than ethanol, the daily said.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!