UNICA: Ethanol production, sales up in late August despite reduced sugarcane processing
UNICA reported that sugarcane processing in Brazil’s south-central region fell 3.25% in late August, while ethanol production rose, with 2.45 billion liters produced. Fires affected 231,830 hectares of sugarcane, but their impact was not fully reflected in the data. Ethanol sales for August increased 3.76%, and total ethanol production since April reached 20.46 billion liters, up 7.14% year-on-year.
UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, has announced that sugarcane processing by units in the south-central region of Brazil was down during the second half of August. Ethanol production and sales were up for the full month. UNICA noted data for late August does not effectively reflect the impact of recent fires, which were more intense during the final week of the month. A partial survey conducted by the group indicates that more than 231,830 hectares of sugarcane have been impacted by fires in recent weeks.
Mills in the south-central region of Brazil processed 45.07 million metric tons of sugarcane during the second half of August, down 3.25% when compared to the same period of last year. Total sugarcane processing since the start of the current harvest season, which began April 1, reached 422.61 million metric tons, up from 406.64 million metric tons processed during the same period of 2023.
Mills in the region produced 2.45 billion liters (647.22 million gallons) of ethanol during the second half of August. Production included 1.56 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, up 10.27%, and 88.93 million liters of anhydrous ethanol, down 0.14%. Corn ethanol accounted for 14% of total production, reaching 348.63 million liters, up 47.39% when compared to the same two-week period of 2023.
Total ethanol production since the start of the current harvest season reached 20.46 billion liters, up 7.14% when compared to the same period of last year. Production included 13 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, up 16.34%, and 7.46 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, down 5.84%. Corn ethanol accounted for 3.13 billion liters of production, up 26.92 percent.
Mills in the region sold 3.06 billion liters of ethanol in August, up 3.76% when compared to the same month of 2023. Sales included 1.93 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 6.81%, and 1.14 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, down 1.03%.
Domestic sales in August included 1.79 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, up 1.16% and 1.04 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, down 3.33%.
Total sales since the beginning of the current harvest season reached 14.69 billion liters, up 16.88%. Sales of hydrous ethanol reached 9.5 billion liters, up 33.97% while sales of anhydrous ethanol reached 5.19 billion liters, down 5.21%. Approximately 671.24 million liters were destined for export, down 31.99%.
