In the first half of July, sugarcane production and crushing advance in relation to the 1/2021 harvest

Sugarcane crushing in the first half of July in the Center-South region reached 46,35 million tons, which represents an increase of 0,48% in relation to the quantity recorded in the same period last year, when 46,12 .233,96 million tons were processed. In the accumulated harvest, crushing totaled 258,54 million tons compared to 2021 million tons recorded in the same period in 9,51 – a drop of 16%. Until July 255, 259 units operated compared to 2021 units in the same period of the 2022/XNUMX cycle.

Information released by the Sugarcane Technology Center indicates that 77,5 tons per hectare were harvested in June 2022, which represents a 0,5% reduction in the crop's agricultural yield compared to the same period in the 2021/2022 harvest (77,9 .XNUMX tons per hectare).

Unica's technical director, Antonio de Padua Rodrigues, highlights that “after six fortnights of crushing less than that observed in the last harvest, in the first fortnight of July there is an equalization in the amount of sugarcane processed. However, the accumulated agricultural productivity indicator still shows a decline of around 1%. Assuming that this difference decreases in the next fortnight, in order for there to be full recovery of crushing and, also, an increase in relation to the previous agricultural cycle, it will be necessary to extend the harvest period by the production units”.

The quality of the raw material harvested in the first half of July, measured in kg of ATR per ton of processed sugar cane, showed a reduction of 0,31% compared to the same period in the last agricultural cycle, registering 143,19 kg of ATR per ton harvested. In the accumulated result for the harvest, the indicator continues with a drop of 3,33%, reaching 130,45 kg of ATR per ton.

Sugar and ethanol production

Sugar production in the first half of July totaled 2,98 million tons (-0,12%). In the accumulated since the beginning of the 2022/2023 harvest, the production of the sweetener totals 12,66 million tons, compared to 15,32 million tons in the previous cycle (-17,38%).

In the first fifteen days of July, 2,23 billion liters (+2,23%) of ethanol were manufactured. Of the total volume produced, hydrous reached 1,28 billion liters (-0,66%), while anhydrous ethanol production totaled 946,24 million liters (+6,44%). In the current agricultural cycle, alcohol production reached 11,25 billion liters (-5,44%), of which 7,08 billion consist of hydrated ethanol (-6,63%) and 4,17 billion in anhydrous (-3,34%).

Of the total biofuel manufactured, production from corn in the first half of July recorded 172,66 million liters, compared to 131,97 million liters in the same period of the 2021/2022 cycle – an increase of 30,83%. In the accumulated since the beginning of the harvest, production reached 1,13 billion liters - an increase of 32,89% compared to the same period last year.

The Unica executive comments that “in addition to crushing, the total production of sugarcane products, measured in ATR, also registered an increase of 0,17%. However, with the contribution of corn ethanol producers, it was possible to achieve a 2,23% increase in total ethanol production, more than four times the increase in crushing in this fortnight”.

Ethanol sales

In the first fifteen days of July, production units in the Center-South sold 1,22 billion liters of ethanol, which represents an increase of 0,58% compared to the same period in the 2021/2022 harvest.

In the domestic market, the volume of hydrated ethanol sold was 734,79 million liters, which represents an increase of 0,80% compared to the previous year. Domestic sales of anhydrous ethanol, in turn, totaled 462,69 million liters in the month, a volume 1,20% lower than that observed in the first half of July 2021. In the accumulated harvest, 4,84 billion liters were sold of domestically hydrated (-5,82%) and 2,88 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol (+2,84%).

Since the beginning of the 2022/2023 harvest, global sales (domestic market and exports) of production units total 8,25 billion liters of ethanol, which represents a drop of 1,51% compared to the same period in the previous harvest. Of this volume, sales of hydrated ethanol totaled 5,05 billion liters (-6,83%); anhydrous ones, 3,20 billion liters (+8,25%).

CBios market

Data from B3 show that, as of July 22, the obligated party of the RenovaBio program had already acquired around 24,96 million decarbonization credits[1]. This volume represents 68% of the total acquisition target for the current year.

The director of Unica explains that “the issuance of CBios backed by the sale of ethanol should continue to rise in the second half of the year, following the recovery of the share of hydrated ethanol in Otto Cycle demand. The year 2022 should end with a stock of active credits exceeding 7 million, which means a supply greater than that necessary for the goals to be fully met.”