Port of Antonina carries out first export of VHP sugar in bulk

The Port of Antonina, located on the coast of Paraná, has just completed the first bulk sugar export ever carried out at the terminal. In total, 16 thousand tons of VHP (Very High Polarization) sugar produced in the state of São Paulo were exported to Venezuela. The Irvine Bay ship's loading productivity was 457 tons/hour and approximately 11 thousand tons/day.

VHP sugar is raw sugar, less humid and still with a layer of honey that covers the sugar crystal, which is why its color resembles that of honey. It is still used as a raw material for the refined type that is known and sold in supermarkets around the world.

One of the main attractions of the operation is the operating time, as there is no docking queue. According to the president of Porto Ponta do Félix, Gilberto Birkhan, productivity targets exceeded expectations. "Another load for Porto Ponta do Félix's portfolio, reinforcing its differentiation as a terminal for customized cargo in Brazil", he states.  

Brazil claims return as the largest global sugar producer

Data from Conab (National Supply Company) indicate that sugarcane production in the 2023/24 harvest is expected to grow 4,4% in relation to the 2022/23 cycle, an estimate of 637,1 million tons. The increase is influenced both by the better crop yield and by the larger area allocated to the cultivation of the crop. For area, the state-owned company expects 8,4 million hectares of sugarcane to be allocated for harvesting, with an average yield of 75.751 kilos per hectare.

In the Southeast, the main producing region, the volume harvested is expected to increase by 4,4%, when compared to the 2022/23 harvest, reaching 404,71 million tons. Highlights include São Paulo, where crops tend to show an improvement in productivity of 2,9%, and Minas Gerais, a state in which not only an improvement in field yield is expected, but also an expansion in the area allocated for cultivation.

With such high sugar production, Brazil should reclaim its status as the largest global producer, which it once enjoyed with the Indians after a historic harvest failure in 2021/22.

"The great advantage of the Brazilian industry is to adapt to the price of the final product, thanks to the vehicle combustion model (flex cars). The 2021/22 harvest was very difficult in terms of total volume of sugarcane available, but the main factor for changing the position of the world's largest sugar producer with India is due to the fact that we have the ability to change the production mix between sugar and ethanol", says the President Director of ED&F, Rodrigo Ostanello.

He explains that the main sugar deficit regions in the world are Africa and the Mediterranean and the Far East, which have two very distinct markets: one that consumes bagged sugar, ready for consumption, and others formed by refineries that receive sugar in bulk for transform it into refined or crystal sugar. In the case of Venezuela, there is a bi-lateral agreement between countries, characterizing the destination as special.

new investments

Over the next few months, Porto Ponta do Félix will also have new warehouses, which will enable an 85% increase in storage capacity, from 280 thousand tons to 520 thousand tons, gradually.

At the beginning of the year, the Port also completed investments in new maritime defenses, equipment that provides greater security when ships dock. Fenders serve to cushion the impact resulting from the encounter between a ship and the berthing structure, reducing the risk of damage.