UNICA revises down sugarcane crush for 2011/2012 harvest

The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) has revised its projected sugarcane crush for the 2011/2012 harvest in the south-central region of the country, reducing it by 4.26% in comparison to what it predicted back in August.

Instead of an estimated 510.2 million tonnes of sugarcane for the harvest, it is expected that only 488.5 million tonnes will be farmed. This is a more than 12% drop on the harvest for 2010/2011.

September yields only reached 70.6 tonnes of sugarcane per hectare, a fall of 18.2% when compared to the same time frame in 2010.

The projected figures for the south-central region of Brazil for this time frame are expected to be even less than this at 70 tonnes per hectare, a decline of nearly 20% when compared to the ‘historical average of 85 tonnes per hectare’, UNICA says.

The association says there are a number of factors as to why the harvest is lower this year, such as unfavourable weather conditions, prolonged periods of drought during winter, the advance of mechanised planting and harvesting in non-systematised areas, new diseases emerging, pests infesting the crops and increased production in regions with lower productivity potential.

‘The harvest continues to be closely monitored by all stakeholders and there is a consensus that if sales trends are maintained, the projected totals, particularly for anhydrous ethanol, are sufficient to fully meet domestic market demand until the beginning of next harvest,’ says UNICA's technical director, Antonio de Padua Rodrigues.