Energy bust threatens farmer earnings
Debt-laden farmers face a collapsing energy market that threatens to stunt corn demand and overall revenue after weathering last season's historic flooding and a trade war.
Plunging oil prices and waning gasoline demand during the last two weeks have further crunched ethanol production margins, forcing many manufacturers to idle operations or curtail production during the last two weeks — eroding near-term corn demand.
About 20pc of ethanol plants in the US have idled and another 40-50 facilities curbed output, according to the Renewable Fuels Association.
Between 400mn-500mn bushels of corn may not be consumed if the cuts in ethanol production stretch through May, according to INTL FCStone risk management consultant Jake Moline, amounting to $1.52bn-1.9bn in lost revenue based on the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) average farm price in March.
Farmers will likely re-evaluate crop mixes for this season when faced with potential revenue losses of this magnitude but this is unlikely to be reflected in the USDA's acreage forecast tomorrow, Moline added.
"If you are unsure if that ethanol plant will be running, you are then scratching your head whether or not you are going to plant corn," Moline said.
The US ethanol industry consumes about 38-40pc of domestic corn production, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and has supported the US as a global leader in corn output since 2007.
The massive expansion of biofuel production in the US — kickstarted by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 — bolstered farmer earnings and fueled growth in the agricultural sector as the nation slipped into the Great Recession.
The timing of the recession "came in during a period right when farm income was taking off, and then it kept going to about 2013," USDA senior economist Carrie Litkowski said.
But as the energy sector shielded the nation's corn sector from a recession 10-12 years ago, it is primed to capsize at-risk farmers still recovering from last season's flooding and the now de-escalating trade war with China.
Farmer debt this year is forecast to balloon to an all-time high of $425.3bn, according to the USDA, while bankruptcy cases continue to amass in the US heartland.
Chapter 12 filings — a form of reorganization specifically for farmers — rose to a new high at 580 cases during the 2019 government fiscal year, which runs from October to September, according to US federal courts data.
President Donald Trump has aimed to keep farmers afloat through subsidies. The Trump administration last year approved the highest amount of federal aid since 2005 after severe rains caused flooding and delayed planting, while the trade war with China severed a major, long-established destination market for soybean growers.
Farmers this year are set to receive another $23.5bn of direct federal assistance after Trump on 27 March signed the massive $2 trillion stimulus package geared to provide economic relief to various industries from the coronavirus disruption.
"We are going to keep our small businesses strong and our big businesses strong," Trump said during the signing ceremony. "And that is keeping our country strong and our jobs strong."
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New US rule may let some shippers swap railroads
New US rule may let some shippers swap railroads
Washington, 30 April (Argus) — US rail regulators today issued a final rule designed to help customers switch railroads in cases of poor rail service, but it is already drawing mixed reviews. Reciprocal switching, which allows freight shippers or receivers captive to a single railroad to access to an alternate carrier, has been allowed under US Surface Transportation Board (STB) rules. But shippers had not used existing STB rules to petition for reciprocal switching in 35 years, prompting regulators to revise rules to encourage shippers to pursue switching while helping resolve service problems. "The rule adopted today has broken new ground in the effort to provide competitive options in an extraordinarily consolidated rail industry," said outgoing STB chairman Martin Oberman. The five-person board unanimously approved a rule that would allow the board to order a reciprocal switching agreement if a facility's rail service falls below specified levels. Orders would be for 3-5 years. "Given the repeated episodes of severe service deterioration in recent years, and the continuing impediments to robust and consistent rail service despite the recent improvements accomplished by Class I carriers, the board has chosen to focus on making reciprocal switching available to shippers who have suffered service problems over an extended period of time," Oberman said today. STB commissioner Robert Primus voted to approve the rule, but also said it did not go far enough. The rule adopted today is "unlikely to accomplish what the board set out to do" since it does not cover freight moving under contract, he said. "I am voting for the final rule because something is better than nothing," Primus said. But he said the rule also does nothing to address competition in the rail industry. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is reviewing the 154-page final rule, but carriers have been historically opposed to reciprocal switching proposals. "Railroads have been clear about the risks of expanded switching and the resulting slippery slope toward unjustified market intervention," AAR said. But the trade group was pleased that STB rejected "previous proposals that amounted to open access," which is a broad term for proposals that call for railroads to allow other carriers to operate over their tracks. The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association declined to comment but has indicated it does not expect the rule to have an appreciable impact on shortline traffic, service or operations. Today's rule has drawn mixed reactions from some shipper groups. The National Industrial Transportation League (NITL), which filed its own reciprocal switching proposal in 2011, said it was encouraged by the collection of service metrics required under the rule. But "it is disheartened by its narrow scope as it does not appear to apply to the vast majority of freight rail traffic that moves under contracts or is subject to commodity exemptions," said NITL executive director Nancy O'Liddy, noting it was a departure from the group's original petition which sought switching as a way to facilitate railroad economic competitiveness. The Chlorine Institute said, in its initial analysis, that it does not "see significant benefit for our shipper members since it excludes contract traffic which covers the vast majority of chlorine and other relevant chemical shipments." By Abby Caplan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Marathon Martinez refinery at 50pc capacity
Marathon Martinez refinery at 50pc capacity
Houston, 30 April (Argus) — Marathon Petroleum's California renewable fuels joint venture with Neste is running at half of its 48,000 b/d maximum capacity with plans to hit full rates by the end of the year, the refiner said on an earnings call today. The company expects to continue to operate the plant at 50pc capacity in the second quarter, increase rates to 75pc in the middle of the third quarter and reach full capacity by year-end. The refinery was operating at 46pc of its nameplate capacity early in the first quarter , Marathon said in a January earnings call. The Martinez facility has been undergoing a conversion from a traditional petroleum refinery to a renewable fuels plant since March 2021 and was slated to reach full production of mostly renewable diesel (RD) by the end of this year. But two November fires at the plant led to an investigation by the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB). Marathon is continuing to work with local regulators, president Maryann Mannen said on the earnings call this morning. By Nathan Risser Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
HSFO demand supports Rotterdam 1Q bunker sales
HSFO demand supports Rotterdam 1Q bunker sales
London, 30 April (Argus) — Total sales of fossil bunker fuels and marine biodiesel blends at the port of Rotterdam were 2.45mn t in the first quarter this year, up by 13pc compared with the final three months of 2023 but 9pc lower year on year, according to official port data. Sales firmed across the board quarter on quarter, even though market participants had described spot bunker fuel demand in the region as "mostly limited" and shipping demand as lacklustre. High-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) sales rose the most. Disruption in the Red Sea resulted in many vessels re-routing around the southern tip of Africa, increasing the incentive of bunkering with HSFO as opposed to very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) and marine gasoil (MGO), according to market participants. The longer journeys meant that vessels on the route increased their fuel consumption to reduce delivery delays, supporting conventional bunker fuel sales at Rotterdam. Higher prices for HSFO in Singapore also helped support HSFO demand in Rotterdam. Marine biodiesel sales at Rotterdam increased by 13pc on the quarter and by 76pc on the year in January-March, despite the Dutch government's decision to half the Dutch renewable tickets (HBE-G) multiplier for shipping at the turn of the year. The move has led to a substantial increase in prices for advanced fatty acid methyl ester (Fame) 0 blends in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) hub. The inclusion of shipping in the EU's Emissions Trading System (ETS) from January may have lent support to demand for biofuel blends. Marine biodiesel made up 11pc of total bunker fuel sales at Rotterdam in the first quarter, the same share as the previous quarter, which was a record high. LNG bunker sales at Rotterdam in January-March soared by 45pc on the quarter and by 150pc on the year. By Hussein Al-Khalisy Rotterdam bunker sales t Fuel 1Q24 4Q23 1Q23 q-o-q% y-o-y% VLSFO & ULSFO 857,579 847,862 1,205,288 1 -29 HSFO 818,028 643,218 809,871 27 1 MGO/MDO 383,409 361,585 468,373 6 -18 Biofuel blends 262,634 233,108 149,206 13 76 Total 2,453,610 2,177,078 2,685,515 13 -9 LNG (m³) 131,960 91,305 52,777 45 150 Port of Rotterdam Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Milei's bid to open Argentina's economy passes
Milei's bid to open Argentina's economy passes
Montevideo, 30 April (Argus) — Argentina's congress today approved the government's sweeping economic legislation that could open the door to more private-sector investment in energy and commodities. The bill passed on a 142-106 vote, with five abstentions, after a marathon 20-hour debate. Changes include privatizing some state-owned companies, controversial labor reforms and measures to promote LNG development. The omnibus legislation, which includes 279 articles, is an important victory for President Javier Milei's administration and will change the way many sectors, including energy, operate in the country. Lawmakers aligned with Milei's Liberty Advances party swiftly moved to the second stage of the process, which requires approval of individual articles. The omnibus bill was initially approved in February, but the administration withdrew it after congress failed to approve several key individual articles. That original version included 664 articles. Several of the more controversial articles were brought up immediately after the blanket approval and easily passed. They included an article allowing for privatization of state-run enterprises — national power company Enarsa is on the list — and another delegating to the administration the power to eliminate state agencies without having to consult with congress. Also approved was the article on labor reform. The country's oilseed industry and port workers' unions called a strike the previous day to pressure congress to modify the labor reform. That did not happen. It passed in a separate 136-113 vote. The strike started to fizzle with approval of the legislation. Approval of the package includes several articles the administration says will open the door to major investments in the energy sector. Chapter II specifically covers natural gas, and introduces new regulations for LNG. The chapter includes five articles that allow for 30-year contracts for LNG export projects and guarantees that gas supply cannot be interrupted for any reason. The energy secretariat has six months to design the implementing rules for LNG. The government wants to speed up monetization of the Vaca Muerta unconventional play, which has an estimated 308 trillion cf of natural gas reserves. It is pushing for Malaysia's Petronas to fully commit to a large-scale LNG facility that would start with a $10bn investment. Chapter IX of the legislation creates a new framework, known as the Rigi, for investments above $200mn. It offers tax, fiscal and customs benefits. Companies have two years from implementation of the legislation to take advantage of the Rigi. The chapter on this framework is one of the most complex in the bill, including 56 articles. It includes specific references to energy projects, from power generation to unconventional oil and gas development. The administration claims the legislation will help tame inflation and stabilize the economy. Inflation was 276pc annualized through February, but is declining, and Milei announced that monthly inflation would be in single digits when the March numbers are announced. The country recorded a 0.2pc quarterly fiscal surplus in the first quarter of this year, something not achieved since 2008. By Lucien Chauvin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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