Increased numbers of cane harvest to go to ethanol

The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) predicts a surge in the amount of cane harvest that is used in ethanol production.

UNICA estimates 56% of cane processed will be used to produce fuel, up 1.66 compared to 2013/2014. As a result, ethanol production is expected to increase by 1.2%, reaching 25.87 billion litres.

A cane crush of 580 million tonnes for the 2014/2015 harvest is expected, a 16.94 million tonne reduction from the 2013/2014 crush of 596.94 million tonnes.

UNICA says this projection reflects a 5% increase in the area available for harvesting, but a considerable drop in yields resulting from the long period of drought that extended from late 2013 into early this year.

Antonio de Padua Rodrigues, UNICA technical director, says: 'The contraction in the level of cane-field renewals at the beginning of this year reflects the difficult financial situation that producers are facing, with many units not in a position to invest in planting.'