(NAFB) – Ethanol output during the week ending on July 16 dropped to the lowest level in five weeks while inventories climbed higher.

The Energy Information Administration says production of the biofuel dropped to an average of 1.028 million barrels a day. That’s down from 1.041 million barrels a day, on average, the previous week and the lowest production level since the week ending on June 11. In the Midwest, which produces the most ethanol of any region in the country, output averaged 980,000 barrels a day, also a five-week low.

The Midwest decline accounted for the entirety of the losses for the week as production in the Gulf Coast rose to an average of 18,000 barrels per day last week. East Coast output was unchanged at 12,000 barrels a day, Rocky Mountain production stayed around 10,000 barrels a day, and the West Coast production level stayed at 9,000 barrels a day.

Ethanol stockpiles jumped to their highest level in almost five months during the week ending on July 16. Inventories rose to 22.51 million barrels last week, up from 21.1 million during the previous week and the highest level since the week ending on February 19.