Sugarcane crushing falls 3,35% in the second half of July, indicates Unica

In the second half of July, production units in the Center-South region processed 51,31 million tons compared to 53,09 million in the 2023/2024 harvest – which represents a drop of 3,35%. In the accumulated result since the beginning of the 2024/2025 harvest until August 1st, crushing reached 332,88 million tons, compared to the 312,12 million tons recorded in the same period in the 2023/2024 cycle – an increase of 6,65 %.

Preliminary data from the Sugarcane Technology Center (CTC), for a common sample of 102 producing units, indicate an agricultural yield of 87,5 tons per hectare harvested, on average, in crops in the Center-South. This value represents a retraction of 10,5% in relation to the index recorded in the same period of the 2023/2024 harvest. From April to July, the index shows a drop of close to 5%.

Unica's director of Sector Intelligence, Luciano Rodrigues, adds that “this preliminary information from July is already beginning to portray the condition observed in the field for the sugar cane that is yet to be harvested. On average for the State of São Paulo, the data collected indicate a drop in productivity of more than 15% in July, reaching 20% ​​in regions such as Araçatuba, Assis and São José do Rio Preto”.

At the end of the second half of July, 257 units were in operation in the Center-South, 238 units processing sugar cane, nine companies that manufacture ethanol from corn and ten flex plants.

Regarding the quality of the raw material, the level of Total Recoverable Sugars (ATR) recorded in the second half of July reached 146,86 kg of ATR per ton of sugarcane, against 144,07 kg per ton in the 2023 harvest /2024 – positive variation of 1,93%. In the accumulated harvest, the indicator shows 133,1 kg of ATR, a slight increase of 0,14% compared to the same period in the last cycle.

Sugar and ethanol production

Sugar production in the second half of July totaled 3,61 million tons, registering a drop of 2,16% compared to the amount recorded in the same period in the 2023/2024 harvest (3,69 million tons). In the accumulated period since the beginning of the harvest until August 1st, the production of the sweetener totaled 20,75 million tons, against 19,22 million tons in the previous cycle (+7,98%).

Rodrigues explains that the proportion of sugar cane used to manufacture the sweetener reached 50,28% in the second half of July, below the 50,63% recorded last year. “The proportion of sugarcane used in sugar production continues to be affected by the quality of the raw material”, adds the executive.

“Although 3kg more ATR was recorded per ton of sugarcane processed in the second half of July, the sucrose content per ton is practically the same as that observed in the same period of the last cycle, as the purity of the juice fell by two percentage points compared to the same period in 2023”, adds Rodrigues.

In the second half of July, ethanol production by units in the Center-South reached 2,55 billion liters, of which 1,60 billion liters (+8,25%) were hydrated ethanol and 947,14 million liters (- 3,73%) anhydrous ethanol. In the accumulated since the beginning of the current agricultural cycle until August 1st, biofuel manufacturing totaled 15,69 billion liters (+8,66%), of which 9,95 billion were hydrated ethanol (+19,41%) and 5,74 .6,00 billion anhydrous (-XNUMX%).

Of the total ethanol obtained in the second half of July, 14% was manufactured from corn, recording production of 349,63 million liters this year, against 248,266 million liters in the same period of the 2023/2024 cycle – an increase of 40,83. 2,46%. In the accumulated since the beginning of the harvest, corn ethanol production reached 26,28 billion liters – an increase of XNUMX% compared to the same period last year.

Ethanol sales

In July, ethanol sales totaled 2,96 billion liters, which represents a positive variation of 16,60% compared to the same period in the 2023/2024 harvest. Different trajectories were recorded between hydrated and anhydrous: the first recorded growth of 42,08% (1,88 billion liters); the second, a drop of 11,22% in the volume sold (1,08 billion liters).

In the domestic market, the volume of hydrated ethanol sold by units in the Center-South totaled 1,80 billion liters in July this year, which represents an increase of 48,21% compared to the same period in the previous harvest. Monthly sales of anhydrous ethanol, in turn, reached the mark of 1,00 billion liters, a decrease of 2,38%.

“Hydrate sales in July maintained the same growth trend observed in practically every month this year, reflecting the competitiveness of biofuel in most of the consumer market”, explains Rodrigues.

In the accumulated period since the beginning of the harvest until August 1st, the sale of ethanol by units in the Center-South totaled 11,62 billion liters, registering growth of 20,74%. The accumulated volume of hydrated ethanol totaled 7,55 billion liters (+42,89%), while that of anhydrous ethanol reached 4,06 billion liters (-6,29%).

CBios market

Data from B3 up to August 9th indicates the issuance of 25,40 million credits in 2024 by biofuel producers. The amount of CBios available for trading held by the obligated, non-obligated parties and issuers totals 26,8 million decarbonization credits.

“Adding the CBios available for sale and the credits already retired to meet the 2024 target, we already have around 75% of the titles necessary to fully meet the amount required by the Program for the end of this year”, highlighted the director of Unica.