UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, has released final data for the 2021-’22 harvest season, which ended March 31. Sugarcane processing and the production of sugarcane ethanol were down for the year. Corn ethanol production was up.

 According to UNICA, 523.11 million tons of sugarcane were processed during the 2021-’22 harvest season, down 13.6 percent when compared to the 2020-’21 season.

Total ethanol production for the period was 27.55 billion liters (7.28 billion gallons), down 9.31 percent. Production included 16.64 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, down 19.55 percent, and 10.91 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 12.57 percent. Corn ethanol production was at 3.47 billion liters, up 34.33 percent.

Domestic sales of hydrous ethanol fell to 15.62 billion liters for the 2021-’22 harvest season, down 18.69 percent. Domestic sales of anhydrous ethanol reached 10.28 billion liters, up 15.34 percent. Export sales fell to 1.63 billion liters, down 39.47 percent. UNICA also reported 1.23 billion liters of ethanol were sold for non-fuel purposes, down 4.48 percent when compared to the 2020-’21 season.