UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, recently published a crop update for the first half of October, reporting mills in the south-central region of the country crushed 32 million tons of sugarcane during the two-week period, down 11.9 percent from the same period of 2015 and down 3 percent when compared to the second half of September.

Sugar production reached 2.25 million tons during the first half of October. Ethanol production reached 1.4 billion liters (369.84 million gallons) during the same period, including 740 million liters of hydrous ethanol and 664.7 million liters of anhydrous ethanol.

According to UNICA, 505.54 million tons of sugarcane have been processed since the beginning of the season. Sugar production has reached 30.02 million tons, with ethanol production reaching 21.27 billion liters, including 8.92 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol and 12.35 billion liters of hydrous ethanol.

So far this year, 31 companies in the south-central region of Brazil have completed operations, including 17 that closed during the first half of October.

UNICA also noted that mills in the south-central region marketed 983.42 million liters of ethanol domestically during the first half of October, with 31.37 million liters destined for export. Of the volume sold domestically, anhydrous ethanol sales reached 391.52 million and hydrous sales reached 591 million liters, down 8 percent and 15.94 percent respectively when compared to the second half of September.