Growth Energy, the U.S. Grains Council, and the Renewable Fuels Association expressed their disappointment with the news that the Brazilian government amended the Aug. 31 rule that raised the quota on U.S. ethanol imports under the tariff rate quote (TRQ) from 600 million liters per year to nearly 750 million liters per year.

The TRQ regulates the threshold of ethanol that can be imported into Brazil without triggering a 20 percent tariff.

“The action by Brazil this week to impose seasonal restrictions on the sale of ethanol does not create a case study in leading by example, but rather the opposite – it is up-ending real opportunities for free trade,” the groups said.

“The decision by Brazil to place seasonal restrictions on its tariff rate quota for U.S. ethanol is disappointing and puts up additional roadblocks to free trade, hurting consumers and our respective ethanol industries,” the groups said.

The groups noted that, for more than 15 years, Brazilian ethanol industry leaders lobbied the U.S. government to drop the tax on imported ethanol and said “the U.S. took the high road and eliminated its ethanol tariff.”