Economic feasibility of producing sweet sorghum as an ethanol feedstock in the southeastern United States

This study examines the feasibility of producing sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) as an ethanol feedstock in the southeastern United States through representative counties in Mississippi. We construct enterprise budgets along with estimates of transportation costs to estimate sweet sorghum producers’ breakeven costs for producing and delivering sweet sorghum biomass. This breakeven cost for the sweet sorghum producer is used to estimate breakeven costs for the ethanol producer based on wholesale ethanol price, production costs, and transportation and marketing costs. Stochastic models are developed to estimate profits for sweet sorghum and competing crops in two representative counties in Mississippi, with sweet sorghum consistently yielding losses in both counties.

► We examine the economic feasibility of sweet sorghum as an ethanol feedstock. ► We construct enterprise budgets along with estimates of transportation costs. ► We estimate breakeven costs for producing and delivering sweet sorghum biomass. ► Stochastic models determine profits for sweet sorghum in two Mississippi counties.