# El Niño awaited, more corn for ethanol

> As of April 16, US corn planting stood at 6% versus 12% a year earlier and a 9% average, but markets were not concerned because farmers can plant quickly. December corn traded near $3.86, close to its 2017 low, and forecasters still see a better than 50% chance of El Niño. Corn use for ethanol reached record highs over the winter.

- Date: 2017-04-21 · published 2017-04-21T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: weather · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/71341-el-nino-awaited-more-corn-for-ethanol
- Commodities: [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Barley](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARLEY.md)

## Why it matters

Slightly late planting is not yet a price threat, but record ethanol grind supports corn demand and makes a late-season weather scare more consequential.

## Read by commodity

- CORN: bullish ▲
- BARLEY: neutral

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2026-10-14 | [El Niño and Brazil’s Second-Season Corn: Should We Be Concerned?](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13413-el-nino-and-brazil-s-second-season-corn-should-we-be-concerned.md) | -1.8% | — |
| CORN | 2018-08-10 | [El Niño forecast may mean better maize prices](https://feedsoft.ai/events/63455-el-nino-forecast-may-mean-better-maize-prices.md) | -7.5% | -9.1% |
| CORN | 2026-04-24 | [Forecast for strong El Niño fans worries about global crops](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19633-forecast-for-strong-el-nino-fans-worries-about-global-crops.md) | +1.2% | +2.2% |
| CORN | 2019-06-05 | [Potential of short U.S. corn crop creates anxiety for ethanol plants - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/58686-potential-of-short-u-s-corn-crop-creates-anxiety-for-ethanol-plants-brownfield.md) | +0.9% | -0.2% |
| CORN | 2026-05-21 | [What a Possible 2026/27 Super El Niño Means for Commodity Markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19191-what-a-possible-2026-27-super-el-nino-means-for-commodity-markets.md) | -1.7% | -7.1% |

## Sources

- farmprogress.com: https://www.farmprogress.com/marketing/el-ni-o-awaited-more-corn-for-ethanol

---
Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.