With nearly 59% of the 2024-2025 sugarcane crop already undertaken in the North and Northeast regions, sugarcane processing reached 35.86 million tons, 2.2% higher than the total for the same period of the last harvest. According to the Association of Sugar, Ethanol and Bioenergy Producers (NovaBio), the current agricultural season, characterized by the absence of regular rains, will end with lower crushing than expected, but with a higher concentration of total recoverable sugar (ATR) per ton of sugarcane, the raw material turns Into sugar and biofuel.
“It is expected that erratic rainfall, at least until this December, will reduce the total sugarcane crushing by about one million tons compared to the volume expected until the end of this harvest, which is initially estimated at about 63 million tons. On the other hand, Drought increases the ATR, that is, the richness of the sugarcane,” explains NovaBio CEO, Renato Cunha. He adds that sucrose levels extracted from the plant should average between 8 and 12 kg/ton in the northeastern region alone. Therefore, the harvest will be slightly smaller, but with final products manufactured in larger quantities than in the 2023-2024 cycle. Erratic rainfall may also have a more pronounced impact on the overwhelming potential of the 2025-2026 crop.
Data from the entity, which includes 35 sugarcane processing plants in 11 Brazilian states, reveal that the manufacture of hydrous ethanol, available at the pump to supply flex-fuel vehicles, increased by 27.9% to 933.5 million litres, compared to 729.7 million liters produced in 2018. The last harvest. In the same period, sugar production reached 2.18 million tons, exceeding by 18.2% the 1.84 million tons at the end of 2024. The Northeast is expected to continue exporting about 62% of its sugar production, mainly through the ports of MaceiĂł (Alba). ), Recife (PE), Soape (PE) and, to a lesser extent, JoĂŁo Pessoa (PB) and Natal (RN).
As for the production of anhydrous ethanol mixed with gasoline, it decreased by 25.9% compared to the previous crop. According to Cunha, who also heads the Pernambuco State Sugar and Alcohol Industry Association (Sindaçúcar/PE), in the 2024-2025 season there are 561.2 million liters, compared to 756.8 million liters manufactured in 2023-2024. .
“This decline reflects the unpredictability of competitiveness and fuel pricing policies in Brazil. “In a country with the potential to lead the global energy transition, and whose fundamental premises require sustainable solutions for the transportation sector, the lack of rules that ensure greater competitiveness for cane ethanol Sugar, from renewable sources, is a matter of concern.” and Sindaçúcar-PE. Total ethanol production (anhydrous and hydrous) reached 1.49 billion liters against 1.48 billion plants in the agricultural cycle 2023-2024, an increase of 0.5%.
The physical stock of hydro-ethanol increased by 51.03%, reaching 261.8 million liters, compared to 173.3 million liters stored in the previous crushing period. In total, including anhydrous and humectant, stock grew by 2.20%, reaching a total of 458.6 million liters compared to 448.7 million liters in the 2023-2024 season.
Sugarcane production by state as of November 30 reached the following levels:
Amazon 0.36 mil/ton
MaranhĂŁo 2.14 mi/t
Bara 1.24 miles/ton
PiauĂ 1.13 mi/t
Tocantins 2.25 mi/ton
Alagoas 9.10 mi/t
Pernambuco 7.58 miles/ton
Bahia 4.41 miles/ton
ParaĂba 4.33 mph
RG do Norte 2.14 mi/ton
Sergipe 1.19 miles/ton
Total as of November 30: 35.87 million tons of sugarcane. press office
