UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, has announced that sugarcane processing and ethanol production slowed during the second half of April due to intense rainfall. Ethanol sales were also down during the two-week period.

Mills in the south-central region of Brazil processed 21 million tons of sugarcane during the second half of April, down 12.54 percent when compared to the same period of last year. Since the beginning of the current harvest season, which began April 1, mills in the region have processed 34.82 million tons of sugarcane, up 18.82 percent when compared to the same period of the previous harvest season.

Ethanol production for the two-week period was at 977.91 million liters (258.34 million gallons), down 11.19 percent when compared to the same period of 2022. Production included 630.17 million liters of hydrous ethanol, down 27.59 percent, and 347.74 million liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 50.70 percent. Corn ethanol accounted for 195.91 million liters, or 20 percent of production, up 68.10 percent.

Total ethanol production since the beginning of the current harvest season was at 1.76 billion liters, up 17.45 percent, including 1.132 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, down 10.42 percent, and 634.4 million liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 161.1 percent. Corn ethanol accounted for 432.25 million liters of production, up 53.83 percent when compared to the same period of last year.

Mills in the south-central region sold 2.08 billion liters of ethanol in April, down 5.97 percent when compared to the same month of 2022. Sales included 1.21 billion liters of hydrous ethanol and 870.25 million liters of anhydrous ethanol.

Domestic sales included 1.12 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, down 18.46 percent, and 833.77 million liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 13.78 percent. Approximately 90.76 million liters of hydrous ethanol was destined for export in April, up 143.52 percent, along with 36.48 million liters of anhydrous ethanol, down 47.7 percent.