The U.S. Energy Information Agency reports that ethanol production in the United States is running 13 percent ahead of the year of 2009.
For the week ending Dec. 17, domestic production totaled 892,000 barrels per day, down 4 percent from the week before. Bad weather cut into demand.
The agency said 4.8 billion bushels of 12 billion in 2010 to 13 billion bushel corn crop will be needed to satisfy ethanol demand.
Iowa produces about 30 percent of the total U.S. annual output of 13 billion gallons of ethanol. Strong demand from ethanol production is cited as one reason for continued high corn prices.
Corn prices have risen about 70 percent since midsummer on higher demand and concerns about shorter crops in the United States as well as in central Asia.
