The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said fuel ethanol imports by the Philippines are projected to increase by 1% to 490 million liters in 2026, as reported by BusinessWorld.
In a report released on July 23, the USDA attributed the slow growth to weak vehicle sales caused by the national energy emergency declared in March. The emergency has dampened demand for gasoline, which reduced the need for ethanol blending.
Fuel ethanol consumption in the Philippines is largely driven by the government's mandate to blend 10% ethanol in gasoline. The modest import growth reflects persistent challenges in the domestic auto market and energy policy impacts.