Ethanol Blog

Booming export demand, especially from Chicago markets, pushed prices of dried distillers grains upward once again this week.

The DTN spot price average rose $3 per ton this week, from $429 last week to $232 per ton. This is the third week that the average has increased, after a long nine-week downward tumble. Still, price levels remain comparable to those in June 2012.

Of the 29 Midwestern locations DTN collects prices from, 19 locations reported their prices increased since last week between $2 and $20 per ton, though most increases were in the $3 to $6 range. Prices remained the same as last week in six locations, while only four locations had price decreases of around $5 per ton.

Merchandisers told DTN while export demand firmed up DDG prices, rises in basis and the corn board also factored in the price increases.

The value of DDG relative to corn dropped remained relatively unchanged from last week, dropping only slightly from 98.01% to 97.94%. The value of DDG relative to soybean meal fell as well, from 51.95% to 51.10%.

The cost per unit of protein for DDG was at $9.28, compared to the cost per unit of protein for soybean meal at $9.56.

Cheryl Anderson can be reached at Cheryl.anderson@telventdtn.com.

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