Brazil's cane crush drops 4.21%

In the south-central region of Brazil, the total sugarcane crush has fallen to 533.5 million tonnes – a drop of 4.21% compared to the 2010/11 end of season harvest.

According to the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA), the major factors which led to the decrease in sugarcane crush were the increased age at which sugarcane fields are now expected to produce yields, coupled with a fall in preservation standards; and a significant drop in rainfall between April and August 2010, combined with veranico (above average temperatures) in May 2011.

In the states of Sao Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul and Parana, frosts in June resulted in lower levels of cane capacity at some of the crushing mills. And fungal diseases such as rust and mould variety curvularia are also under inspection, despite not being considered a major contributing factor in the revision of the sugarcane harvest forecast.

'In addition to an imbalance in the harvested areas, atypical climate conditions and varying physiological responses by the crop hinder the use of parameters established with data from past harvests,' says Antonio de Padua Rodrigues, UNICA's technical director. 'The situation requires continuous monitoring of field conditions over the next three months, during which about 45% of overall production will take place. We will closely monitor these developments and, if necessary, further adjustment and corrections to our harvest projection will be announced.'

During the 2011/12 season, UNICA predicts that 46.94% of the total harvested sugarcane will be used in the production of sugar. This is higher than the 45.56% originally estimated in March. The remaining 53.06% of sugarcane will be converted into ethanol.

Ethanol production is now expected to reach 22.54 billion litres, 11.61% less than the volume stated in March and 11.19% lower than the 25.38 billion litres produced in the 2010/11 harvest.

'The new crushing and ATR levels should translate into a reduction of 2.2 million tonnes of sugar and nearly 3 billion litres of ethanol compared to the initial projection for this season,' says Rodrigues.

While sugar exports are now thought to be 23.13 million tonnes this season, ethanol exports will decrease by 23.6% to 1.35 billion litres.