China's ethanol output in July 2026 totaled 806,300 mt, up 40,300 mt month-on-month, an increase of 5.26%. Cumulative output from January to July 2026 reached 6,170,100 mt.
Regional operations
For bio-fermented ethanol, operating rates declined in Northeast China. Hongzhan ran four plants, with Laha taking a 15-day brief shutdown. SDIC Jidong's unit operated normally. Tieling remained shut down throughout the month. Hailun started up around mid-month, and Wanli began feeding feedstock around the 25th. Jilin Xin Tianlong's unit ran normally, while Jilin Dongfeng Hualiang's unit remained shut down. In Inner Mongolia, Zhalantun and Chifeng Ruiyang units were both offline.
Operating rates in East China declined. COFCO Anhui ran steadily, with the Bengbu plant operating normally. Anhui Wanshen operated until its unit was shut down at month-end. Huating experienced a brief shutdown and then resumed production. In the Mengzhou area of Henan, the Huaxing and Hanyong units both experienced shutdowns, and Houyuan had a short shutdown planned; the Xinxiang unit was shut down.
Operating rates in Guangxi rose. COFCO Guangxi resumed operations, Guangxi Jinyuan resumed production, and Guangxi Xintiande ran normally. Among molasses-based ethanol producers, only Haiying's unit was in operation; all others were shut down and sold from inventory.
Coal-based ethanol operating rates rose. Yushen's unit ran normally; Xinghua's unit was shut down; Hengxin produced product starting on the 27th; Guangdong Boke's unit was shut down; Daya Bay resumed operations after a brief shutdown. All other units ran normally.
Maintenance details
During the month, ethanol units with a combined annual processing capacity of 5.45 million mt were shut down. Heilongjiang Hongzhan's Jixian and Huanan plants have shutdowns planned for August. SDIC Tieling produced at the start of the month, Hailun produced, and Jidong ran normally. Wanli began feedstock input on the 25th. Jilin Xin Tianlong shut down at the start of the month and resumed production in mid-to-late month. Jilin Dongfeng Hualiang remained shut down. In Inner Mongolia, Zhalantun and Chifeng Ruiyang units were offline. COFCO Anhui's fuel ethanol output declined, with one line each in Suzhou and Bengbu shut down. Guannan Xinguan and Lianyungang Longhe units were shut down. Among the three plants in Henan, Hanyong's unit had a brief shutdown while the others ran normally; the Xinxiang unit was shut down. Among coal-based ethanol producers, Yushen continued operating at low load, while Jingmen Yuanhan, Baling Petrochemical, and Henan Ruibai ran normally. Anhui Tanxin resumed production after a one-week brief shutdown.
Summary of ethanol unit maintenance in July 2026 (Unit: 10,000 mt)
| Producer | Unit in Maintenance | Capacity | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COFCO Anhui | Fermented ethanol | 15.00 | 2026/5/18 | — |
| Anhui Wanshen | Fermented ethanol | 12.00 | 2026/7/24 | 2026/7/30 |
| Hongzhan Laha | Fermented ethanol | 60.00 | 2026/7/1 | 2026/7/15 |
| Guannan Xinguan | Fermented ethanol | 10.00 | 2025/10/20 | — |
| Zhalantun | Fermented ethanol | 15.00 | 2026/6/1 | — |
| Lianyungang Longhe | Fermented ethanol | 10.00 | 2025/10/20 | — |
| Dongfeng Hualiang | Fermented ethanol | 10.00 | 2026/4/30 | — |
| Chifeng Ruiyang | Fermented ethanol | 8.00 | 2026/6/18 | 2026/8/10 |
| SDIC Tieling | Fermented ethanol | 30.00 | 2026/6/15 | Expected by end of month |
| Xinxiang Xinxing Bio | Fermented ethanol | 8.00 | 2026/5/18 | — |
| Sichuan Hongzhan | Fermented ethanol | 30.00 | 2026/6/15 | — |
| Heilongjiang Shenglong | Fermented ethanol | 50.00 | 2026/6/30 | — |
| Wanli Runda | Fermented ethanol | 50.00 | 2026/6/23 | 2026/7/25 |
| Jilin Fukang | Fermented ethanol | 50.00 | 2026/7/10 | 2026/8/10 |
| Jilin Yushu | Fermented ethanol | 17.00 | 2026/7/28 | — |
| Henan Huaxing | Fermented ethanol | 50.00 | 2026/7/20 | — |
| Henan Houyuan | Fermented ethanol | 50.00 | 2026/7/28 | 2026/7/31 |
| Shandong Hengxin | Coal-based ethanol | 50.00 | 2026/6/5 | 2026/7/27 |
| Huizhou Yuxin | Coal-based ethanol | 10.00 | 2026/7/3 | — |
| Yanchang Xinghua | Coal-based ethanol | 10.00 | 2026/7/18 | 2026/7/28 |
| Total | 545.00 | — | — |
Forecast for August–October
Domestic ethanol prices are expected to trend narrowly downward over the next three months. With the concentrated maintenance season for fermented ethanol concluding, coal-based ethanol supply will rise modestly. On the demand side, no significant boost is anticipated, and market procurement will remain largely need-based. Demand from the traditional baijiu sector stays weak, and the market faces a supply-demand mismatch, making it difficult for prices to improve in the short term. Prices are expected to mainly track cost trends.
Key points for the next period
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