Brazil corn-based ethanol production surges to 22.2 million tons for 2025/2026 harvest

Brazil's corn ethanol sector has expanded from 630,000 tons in 2016/2017 to 22.2 million tons in the 2025/2026 harvest, signaling a major shift in global grain utilization. The rapid scaling of 29 operational biorefineries positions Brazil as a primary competitor to U.S. grain-based biofuel dominance. This growth reflects a structural change in agricultural processing capacity rather than a temporary market fluctuation.