Argentinian ethanol production and domestic sales hit record highs in 2015, data from an industry group in the country showed Monday.
Ethanol production totaled 815 million liters, up 23% from 2014, while domestic sales were 804 million liters, up 21%, according to the data from the Argentinian Association of Biofuels and Hydrogen.
Of the total production, ethanol from sugarcane reached 336 million liters, up 12% year on year, while the balance, or 479 million liters were ethanol from the feedstock corn, up 29% year on year, the AABH data showed.
When Argentina in 2009 began to blend ethanol into gasoline, sugarcane was the country's only feedstock. The first corn distillery came online in 2012, with corn-based ethanol taking the lead in 2014. There are nine sugarcane mills producing ethanol and five corn distilleries in Argentina.
The government in January increased the mandatory blend to 12%, with the additional supply coming from the sugarcane ethanol.
Platts agricultural unit Kingsman estimates that Argentina will produce and consume 1 billion liters of ethanol this year.
