SEOUL: South Korea’s ethanol imports slid 32% month on month to 23,018 mt in January, according to data released Tuesday by the Korea Customs Service. The imports in January, however, spiked 215% from 7,308 mt in January 2017.
The import volume of undenatured ethanol fell 23.8% from December to 10,940 mt in January. Australia was the biggest supplier of undenatured ethanol, accounting for 6,075 mt, while imports from Pakistan edged up to 1,148 mt in the month.
Australia has been the biggest supplier of undenatured ethanol to South Korea so far this season, over October 2017-September 2018, accounting for 23,442 mt of the total 52,933 mt undenatured ethanol imported by South Korea since October 2017. Pakistan was the second biggest supplier, with 13,672 mt of exports to South Korea for the season so far. South Korea’s denatured ethanol imports also declined, by 38% on the month to 12,078 mt in January, of which 58% came from the US. Imports from Pakistan were at 2,874 mt, followed by South Africa at 890 mt.
On the export front, South Korea’s total ethanol outflow surged by 211% month on month to 5,026 mt in January.
