Sugarcane crushing in the second half of February in the Center-South region totaled 71.79 thousand tons. In the same period, in the previous year, 159.38 thousand tons of sugarcane were processed -- a decrease of 54.95%. In the accumulated of the 2022/2023 harvest, crushing reached 542.54 million tons, compared to 522.78 million tons registered in the same period in the 2021/2022 cycle -- an increase of 3.78%.
In the second half of February, two units resumed crushing and started the 2023/2024 harvest. At the end of the fortnight, 15 units remain in operation in the Center-South, four of which process sugarcane and 11 companies that manufacture ethanol from corn. In the same period, in the 2021/2022 harvest, there were nine industrial parks in operation.
In a preliminary survey carried out by UNICA, it is expected that 18 production units will restart agricultural operations during the first half of March. The rate of return of the plants may change depending on the weather conditions of each sugarcane region.
The quality of raw material harvested accumulated since the beginning of the harvest until the second half of February, measured in kg of ATR per ton of processed sugarcane, presented a reduction of 1.28% in comparison with the same period of the last agricultural cycle, reaching 141.14 kg of ATR per ton in this harvest.

Sugar and ethanol production
Sugar production in the second half of February totaled 381 tons. In the accumulated since the beginning of the 2022/2023 harvest, the manufacture of the sweetener totals 33.50 million tons, against 32.06 million tons in the previous cycle (4.50%).
In the second half of February, 154.70 million liters (19.69%) of ethanol were manufactured by the Center-South units. Of the total volume produced, hydrated ethanol reached 99.70 million liters (-20.01%), while anhydrous ethanol production totaled 55.00 million liters -- compared to the small volume of 4.6 million liters manufactured in the previous agricultural cycle.
In the accumulated result since the beginning of the current agricultural cycle until February 28, the production of biofuel totaled 28.25 billion liters (3.69%), of which 16.22 billion were hydrous ethanol (-0.70%) and 12. 03 billion anhydrous (10.27%).
Of the total ethanol manufactured in the fortnight, 97% were made from corn, registering a production of 149.81 million liters this year, against 118.72 million liters in the same period of the 2021/2022 cycle -- an advance of 26, 19%. In the accumulated since the beginning of the harvest, the production of ethanol from corn reached 3.99 billion liters - an increase of 26.36% in comparison with the same period of last year.

Ethanol sales
In February, ethanol sales totaled 2.12 billion liters, which represents an increase of 4.87% compared to the same period of the 2021/2022 harvest.
As for the deals carried out in the domestic market, the volume of hydrated ethanol totaled 1.09 billion liters, which means a drop of 1.89% in relation to the same period of the previous harvest. When compared to the 2021/2022 agricultural cycle, the second half of February contributed to the deterioration of sales, which is possibly related to the lower number of working days due to the Carnival holiday in Brazil. Despite this condition, there was an advance in the comparison with January 2023 -- in which 999.88 million liters were sold -- and, in the aggregate of the current crop year, sales remain in positive territory when compared to the cycle agricultural past, with 14.30 billion liters of hydrous, a slight increase of 0.47% compared to the 2021/2022 harvest.
The sale of anhydrous ethanol to the domestic market also did not go unpunished due to the retraction condition in the fortnight. However, in the aggregate of February it reached the mark of 879.76 million liters, which represents a growth of 4.48%. In the 2022/2023 harvest, 10.13 billion liters were sold -- positive variation of 8.13% compared to the 2021/2022 cycle.
In the opposite direction to that observed in domestic market sales, the trade flow related to exports registered quite robust values, especially in the second half of the month. In February, 88.10 million liters of hydrated ethanol were exported -- an increase of 49.36% compared to the 2021/2022 harvest -- and 67.13 million liters of anhydrous ethanol -- an increase of 362% .
From April 2022 to February 28, 2023, 15.24 billion liters of hydrated ethanol (0.85%) and 11.55 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol (16.50%) were sold. Of these volumes mentioned above, 6% correspond to export operations, for hydrous ethanol, while 12% is representativeness of sales to the foreign market of anhydrous ethanol, in relation to the total sold by producers.

CBios market
B3 data recorded up to March 8 indicate the issuance of 5.84 million CBios in 2023. By the aforementioned date, the obligated part of the RenovaBio program had acquired approximately 39.32 million decarbonization credits [1].

1] This value considers the carryover stock of the obligated party in 2021 plus the credits acquired in 2022 and 2023, so far, whether they are active or retired. The selected time horizon covers the acquisitions that will comprise the credits used to meet the 2022 targets, whose term had been postponed, and 2023.