UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, has released data showing ethanol production was up during the first half of March, with a significant increase in corn ethanol production. Ethanol sales for the two-week period were down.

Mills in the south-central region of Brazil processed 608,290 tons of sugarcane during the first half of March, up 327.32 percent when compared to the same period of last year. Since the beginning of the current harvest season, which began April 1, 2022, mills in the region have processed 543.89 million tons of sugarcane, up 4.01 percent when compared to the same period of the previous harvest season.

Ethanol production for the first half of March reached 264.58 million liters (69.89 million gallons), up 57.44 percent when compared to the same period of 2022. Production included 164.79 million liters of hydrous ethanol, down 5.08 percent, and 99.79 million liters of anhydrous ethanol, up from 5.5 million liters of production during the same two-week period of last year. Corn ethanol accounted for 238.59 million liters, or 90 percent, of production, up 52.58 percent.

Total ethanol production since the beginning of the current harvest season has reached 28.53 billion liters, up 4.1 percent, including 16.4 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, down 0.62 percent, and 12.13 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 11.24 percent. Corn ethanol accounted for 4.23 billion liters of production, up 27.59 percent.

Mills in the south-central region sold 982.76 million liters of ethanol during the first half of March, down 10.15 percent when compared to the same period of last year. Domestic sales included 506.67 million liters of hydrous ethanol, down 19.79 percent, and 424.89 million liters of anhydrous ethanol, down 2.26 percent. Approximately 34.58 million liters of hydrous ethanol was sold into export markets during the two-week period, up 30.52 percent, along with 16.62 million liters of anhydrous ethanol, up significantly from 940,000 liters during the same period of last year.

Total sales since the beginning of the current harvest season included 15.81 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, up 0.27 percent, and 12 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 15.9 percent. Approximately 6 percent of hydrous ethanol and 12 percent of anhydrous ethanol sales were destined for export. Domestics sales include 14.84 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, down 0.18 percent, and 10.56 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 7.71 percent.