UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, has reported that the volume of sugarcane processed during the first half of May remained steady compared to the same period in 2023. Ethanol production increased slightly, and sales saw a significant rise.
Mills in Brazil’s south-central region processed 44.75 million metric tons of sugarcane during the first half of May, a 0.43% increase from the same period last year. Since the current harvest season began on April 1, sugarcane processing has reached 95.42 million metric tons, up 19.49% from the same period in 2023.
UNICA indicated that mills produced 1.99 billion litres (525.7 million gallons) of ethanol during the first half of May, a 2.14% increase. This included 1.25 billion litres of hydrous ethanol, which rose by 12.4%, and 743.02 million litres of anhydrous ethanol, which fell by 11.47%. Approximately 15% of the ethanol, or 298.56 million litres, was produced from corn, an increase of 10.76% from last year.
Since the start of the current harvest season, total ethanol production has reached 4.35 billion litres, a 15.54% increase. This includes 3.04 billion litres of hydrous ethanol, up 34.66%, and 1.31 billion litres of anhydrous ethanol, down 11.18%. Corn ethanol production reached 868.05 million litres, up 22.83%.
During the first half of May, mills in the south-central region sold 1.38 billion litres of ethanol, a 22.37% increase from the same period in 2023. Sales comprised 909.89 million litres of hydrous ethanol, up 51.26%, and 468.86 million litres of anhydrous ethanol, down 10.73%.
Domestic sales of hydrous ethanol were 899.12 million litres, up 53.17%, while domestic sales of anhydrous ethanol were 468.86 million litres, down 7.09%. Since the beginning of the current harvest season, sales have reached 4.12 billion litres, a 34.61% increase, including 2.76 billion litres of hydrous ethanol, up 60.11%, and 1.36 billion litres of anhydrous ethanol, up 1.81%.
