Brazil’s love affair with ethanol under threat

Brazil is the world’s largest importer of ethanol and the second largest producer after the US. It is also the world leader in the use of sustainable bioethanol for transport, as the majority of its ethanol is made from sugarcane.

In 2008, ethanol retail sales in Brazil surpassed 50% market share of the gasoline-powered vehicle fleet, but according a recent Bloomberg article, the price of ethanol has recently skyrocketed due to the country's economic and political crises. Authorities are also examining the possibility of lifting a ban on diesel fuel sales, which could provide another blow to ethanol use in the Brazilian transport sector.