UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, has released data showing that ethanol production was up during the second half of January. Ethanol sales for the full month were up more than 23 percent.

Mills in the south-central region of Brazil processed 307,30 metric tons of sugarcane during the second half of January. No sugarcane was processed during the same period of last year.

Mills in the region have processed 543.39 million tons of sugarcane since the beginning of the current harvest season, which began April 1, 2022, up 3.78 percent when compared to the same period of the previous harvest season.

Ethanol production was at 213.31 million liters (56.35 million gallons) during the second half of January, up 29.65 percent. Production included 102.66 million liters of hydrous ethanol, down 22.5 percent, and 110.65 million liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 225.18 percent. Corn accounted for 94 percent of ethanol production during the two-week period, reaching 200.65 million liters, up 23.24 percent when compared to the same period of last year.

Mills in the south-central region have produced 27.89 billion liters of ethanol so far this harvest season, up 3.45 percent, including 16 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, down 0.49 percent, and 11.89 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 9.29 percent. Corn ethanol accounted for 3.64 billion liters of production, up 26.23 percent.

Ethanol sales for January reached 2.17 billion liters, up 23.1 percent when compared to the same month of 2022. Domestic sales included 997.8 million liters of hydrous ethanol, up 8.83 percent, and 979.42 million liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 23.24 percent.

Since the beginning of the current harvest season, mills in the south-central region have sold 14.06 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, up 0.85 percent, and 10.61 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 17.06 percent. According to UNICA, exports accounted for 6 percent of hydrous ethanol sales and 13 percent of anhydrous ethanol sales so far this harvest season.