Late November Brazil sugar output up 35%, above expectation
SAO PAULO, Dec 12 (Reuters) – Brazil’s center-south sugar production rose more than expected in the second half of November, up 35% when compared with the same period a year earlier to 1.4 million metric tons, according to data from Brazilian industry group UNICA released on Tuesday.
UNICA said in a report that 23.9 million tons of sugarcane were crushed in the period, up 46% from a year ago. Total ethanol production rose 39.9% to 1.25 billion liters.
The numbers were all above market expectation as Brazilian mills continue to extend crushing taking advantage of drier-than-normal weather for this time of the year.
A survey of 10 analysts by S&P Global Commodity Insights last week predicted sugar production at 1.25 million tons and sugarcane crush at only 21.65 million tons.
The weather remains mostly dry in the main sugar belt in Brazil, but mills are finally ending operations for the season.
UNICA said that 78 plants have finished processing, down from 178 at the same time last year, and 98 more are expected to stop during the first half of December.
Shipping operations, however, remain hot at Brazilian ports. According to government trade data, daily sugar loading is 45% above the average seen in November last year.
UNICA’S CROP REPORT (cane and sugar in million metric tons, ethanol in billion liters, total recoverable sugar-TRS in kg per tonne):
BRAZIL CENTER-SOUTH – 2ND HALF NOV. (ANNUAL COMPARISON)
2022/23
2023/24
% CHANGE
CANE CRUSH
16.35
23.90
46.14
SUGAR OUTPUT
1.04
1.40
35.03
ETHANOL OUTPUT*
0.89
1.25
39.91
TRS (kg/T)
139
132
-5.40
CANE TO SUGAR
47.6%
46.5%
BRAZIL CENTER-SOUTH CROP CUMULATIVE DATA
2022/23
2023/24
% CHANGE
CANE CRUSH
534
619
15.94
SUGAR OUTPUT
33.05
40.82
23.50
ETHANOL OUTPUT*
26.68
29.85
11.87
TRS (kg/T)
141
140
-0.61
CANE TO SUGAR
46.0%
49.3%
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