Ethanol sales by production units the south-central region of Brazil were up more than 5 percent during the first half of February when compared to the same period of 2020, according to data released by UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association.

With sugarcane production entering its off-season, mills in the region processed only 486,890 tons of sugarcane during the two-week period. Since the beginning of the current season, which began April 1, 2020, mills in the region have processed 598.12 million tons of sugarcane, up 3.22 percent when compared to the same period of the previous harvest season.

Mills in the region produced 133.57 million liters (35.29 million gallons) of ethanol during the two-week period. Corn ethanol accounted for 110.88 million liters of that volume.

Total ethanol production since the start of the current season is at 29.68 billion liters, down 8.54 percent when compared to the same period of the previous harvest. Production includes 19.97 billion liters of hydrous ethanol and 9.71 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol.

Ethanol sales for the first half of February were at 1.29 billion liters, up 5.32 when compared to the same period of 2020. Approximately 98 percent of that volume was sold domestically, with only 23.14 million liters destined for export.

Domestically, sales of anhydrous ethanol reached 425.13 million liters, up 8.18 percent when compared to last year. Sales of hydrous ethanol reached 839.72 million liters, up 3.85 percent.

Since the beginning of the current harvest, mills in the south-central region have sold 27.21 billion liters of ethanol, down 8.64 precent. Of that total, 24.83 billion liters were sold domestically, down 11.71 percent, while 2.38 billion liters were destined for export, up 43.05 percent.