The amount of sugarcane processed by the Center-South units in the first half of June reached 35.96 million tons, recording a 14.00% decrease in relation to the crushing verified in the same period of the last harvest (41.81 millions of tons). In the 2021/2022 harvest, crushing totaled 165.59 million tons compared to 187.28 million tons observed in the previous cycle - a drop of 11.58%.

"The drop in milling in the fortnight refers to the occurrence of rain in some regions of Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná and São Paulo, including Assis, Araçatuba and São Carlos, impacting the operation of the harvest", analyzes the technical director of the União da Sugarcane Industry (UNICA), Antonio de Padua Rodrigues (photo).

"Preliminary figures for the first half of June from a sample of 28 units indicate a 15% agricultural decline, compared to the yield of the same crops in the previous cycle. The figures are from a small sample, but point out that the trend of lower yields should remain," added Rodrigues.

The quality of the raw material harvested in the Center-South region in the first half of June, measured in kg of TSR per ton of sugarcane processed, showed an increase of 1.34% compared to the same period of the last agricultural cycle , with 138.35 kg of TSR per ton harvested. In the accumulated since the beginning of the harvest until June 16, the indicator advances 1.23% in the Center-South, registering the value of 130.48 kg of ATR/t.

In the first half of June, 249 units were in operation, of which 241 sugarcane processors, 5 exclusively for corn ethanol and 3 flex plants. On the same date of the 2020/2021 harvest, 254 units had started processing sugarcane. For the second half of June, another 6 units should start grinding in the Center-South.

Sugar and Ethanol Production 

The production of sugar in the first half of June totaled 2.19 million tons (-14.35%) and that of ethanol 1.69 billion liters (-8.70%). Of the total volume of ethanol produced, hydrated represented 975.20 million liters (-23.99%). Despite the drop in other sugarcane products, anhydrous ethanol recorded a considerable advance of 26.11% in relation to the volume produced in the same period of the 2020/2021 harvest, reaching a production of 710.65 million liters.

"Ethanol production presented a lower drop than that registered for sugar, indicating that the producing units prioritized the production of anhydrous ethanol", explained Rodrigues.

In accumulated terms from the beginning of the harvest until June 16, sugar and hydrated ethanol registered retraction compared to the production observed in the previous agricultural cycle. The production of the sweetener totaled 9.34 million tons until the first half of June (-11.90%), while the accumulated production of the biofuel reached 4.96 billion liters (-15.26%). In the opposite direction, the accumulated production of anhydrous ethanol presents an increase of 15.02% until June 16, with 2.56 billion liters.

As a result, 45.39% of sugarcane was used for sugar production until June 16, compared to 46.12% recorded on the same date in 2020.

In the first half of June, 119.71 million liters of ethanol were manufactured from corn, compared to 67.53 million liters in the same period of the 2020/2021 cycle - an advance of 77.27%. In accumulated terms, production reaches 592.51 million liters - an advance of 41.65% in comparison with the past harvest.

Ethanol sales 

The volume of ethanol sold by the producing units in the Center-South in the first fifteen days of June totaled 1.19 billion liters, which represents stability in relation to the same period last year.

In the domestic market, sales of hydrous ethanol totaled 702.98 million liters in the first half of June, with a reduction of 5.97% over the amount recorded in the same period of the last harvest (747.58 million liters). The quantity of anhydrous ethanol sold, in turn, registered a significant increase of 31.59%: 419.90 million liters sold in 2021, against 319.09 million liters in 2020.

The sale of ethanol for other purposes dropped 26.16% in the first half of the month, totaling 47.27 million liters.

In accumulated terms from the beginning of the 2021/2022 harvest to June 16, ethanol sales by companies in the Center-South have accumulated growth of 11.60%, totaling 5.81 billion liters. Of this total, exports register a 19.68% retraction, totaling 279.66 million liters, and sales in the domestic market account for an increase of 13.84%, reaching 5.53 billion liters.