A process for the production of dialkyl succinate from a succinic acid feedstock containing succinic acid produced by a fermentation process comprising the steps of: (a) feeding solid succinic acid feedstock containing succinic acid produced by a fermentation process to a first reactor where it is contacted with alkanol, said first reactor being operated at a suitable temperature and pressure to enable autocatalytic esterification to occur; (b) passing a stream removed from the first reactor comprising unreacted succinic acid, mono alkyl ester, dialkyl ester, alkanol, water and impurities to a point at or near the top of a reaction zone columm operated at temperatures and pressures to enable esterification of the succinic acid and further esterification of the mono alkyl ester, and passing said stream in counter-current reaction to upflowing additional alkanol; (c) removing a stream from at or near the bottom of the reaction zone column comprising components selected from residual succinic acid, mono alkyl ester, dialkyl ester, impurities and alkanol and passing said stream to a bottoms stream separation zone where said di-alkyl ester is separated from alkanol, and from the succinic acid, mono alkyl ester and impurities; (d) recycling the succinic acid and mono alkyl ester to the reaction zone column; (e) removing at least some of the impurities as a purge; and (f) removing a stream comprising alkanol, water and organic components from at or near the top of the reaction zone column and passing said stream to a top stream distillation zone where the alkanol is separated, from the water and from the organic components and recycling the organic components to the reaction zone column. (a) feeding solid succinic acid feedstock containing succinic acid produced by a fermentation process to a first reactor where it is contacted with alkanol, said first reactor being operated at a suitable temperature and pressure to enable autocatalytic esterification to occur; (b) passing a stream removed from the first reactor comprising unreacted succinic acid, mono alkyl ester, dialkyl ester, alkanol, water and impurities to a point at or near the top of a reaction zone columm operated at temperatures and pressures to enable esterification of the succinic acid and further esterification of the mono alkyl ester, and passing said stream in counter-current reaction to upflowing additional alkanol; (c) removing a stream from at or near the bottom of the reaction zone column comprising components selected from residual succinic acid, mono alkyl ester, dialkyl ester, impurities and alkanol and passing said stream to a bottoms stream separation zone where said di-alkyl ester is separated from alkanol, and from the succinic acid, mono alkyl ester and impurities; (d) recycling the succinic acid and mono alkyl ester to the reaction zone column; (e) removing at least some of the impurities as a purge; and (f) removing a stream comprising alkanol, water and organic components from at or near the top of the reaction zone column and passing said stream to a top stream distillation zone where the alkanol is separated, from the water and from the organic components and recycling the organic components to the reaction zone column.