UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, has reported that current levels of ethanol stocks are sufficient to meet domestic demand through the beginning of next sugarcane harvest season, which began April 1.

According to UNICA, mills in the south-central region of Brazil processed 142,400 tons of sugarcane during the first half of March, down 91.51 percent when compared to same period of last year. The group said 10 production units were operational during the first half of March, including one sugarcane unit, six corn units and three flex units that can produce fuel from both feedstocks.

Ethanol production for the two-week period was at 168.3 million liters (44.46 million gallons). Corn ethanol accounted for 156.4 million gallons of that volume.

Approximately 521.93 million tons of sugarcane was crushed during the 2021-‘22 harvest season, down 13.08 percent when compared to the same period of the 2020-’21 harvest season.

Total ethanol production as of mid-March was at 27.34 billion liters, down 8.88 percent, including 16.43 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, down 19.13 percent, and 10.90 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 12.61 percent. Corn ethanol accounted for 3.32 billion liters of production, up 36.22 percent.

Domestic sales of hydrous ethanol were at 632.03 million liters during the first half of March, down 19.14 percent when compared to the same period of last year. Domestic sales of anhydrous ethanol reached 434.72 million liters, up 11.39 percent.

Ethanol sales from April 1, 2021, through mid-March were at 26.05 million liters, down 12.1 percent when compared to the same period of the previous harvest season. Hydrous ethanol sales reached 15.69 billion liters, down 21.45 percent, and 10.35 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 7.27 percent.