Ethanol exports reached 2,67 billion liters by the end of 2020 – the industry’s highest rate in seven years
In February 2020, ethanol sales by production units in the Center-South region totaled 2,40 billion liters, of which 2,28 billion liters were destined for the domestic market and 120,79 million liters for industrial exports.
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The highest export volume in seven years for the industry
This exported volume represents a growth of 41,40% over the end of 2019 (85,42 million liters), with 99,49 million liters sold in the last half of the month.
In the accumulated from April 2019 to February 2020, this increase reaches almost 20%: 1,77 billion liters, against 1,48 billion liters registered in the same period of the last harvest.
“This is the biggest export in the last 5 years”, highlights the technical director of UNIVERSITY OF CAGLIARI, Antonio de Padua Rodrigues. In fact, in the 2015/2016 harvest, the Center-South region exported 1,83 billion liters between April and February, higher than the 1,77 billion liters. The United States remains the main destination. “It is worth highlighting, however, the balance involving the ethanol trade between Brazil and the United States, with an imported volume equaling the export”, comments Rodrigues.
In the internal industry, the commercialized volume of anhydrous ethanol reached 737,60 million liters, with 344,08 million liters accounted for in the last half of the month in exports. As for hydrated ethanol, sales reached 1,54 billion liters (740,85 million liters in the second half of February).
Grinding and production
Sugarcane crushing in the Center-South region totaled 579,90 million tons from the beginning of the 2019/2020 harvest to March 1, 2020, up 2,74% over the same period of the 2018/2019 cycle (564,45 million tons). Until that date, sugar production reached 26,49 million tons, while ethanol production reached 32,55 billion liters (22,68 billion liters of hydrous ethanol and 9,87 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol).
The volume of renewable energy manufactured by the Center-South units by the end of February 2020 already exceeds by 1,60 billion liters the historical production record observed in the past harvest (30,95 billion liters).
“This figure should grow, as we still have March production, officially incorporated into the 2019/2020 harvest”, says the executive. Of the total manufactured so far in the 2019/2020 cycle, ethanol produced from corn accounted for 4,35% of the volume accounted for, reaching 1,41 billion liters by the end of February — more than double the value observed in same period last season (692,29 million liters).
