Ethanol production from corn is growing rapidly in Brazil

UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, released data showing corn ethanol production continued to grow during the first half of March. Ethanol sales were down when compared to the same period of last year.

Mills in the south-central region of Brazil processed 1.83 million metric tons of sugarcane during the first half of March, down from 2.22 million metric tons during the same period of last year. Sugarcane processing since the beginning of the 2024-‘25 harvest season, which began April 1, 2024, reached 617.28 million metric tons, down 4.94% when compared to the same period of the previous harvest season.

Mills in the region produced 441.5 million liters (116.63 million gallons) of ethanol during the first half of March. Production included 367 million liters of hydrous ethanol, up 9.18%, and 74.6 million liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 144.2%. Corn ethanol accounted for 365.47 million liters, or 82.77% of total production during the two-week period, up 41.08% when compared to the same period of last year.

Total ethanol production for the current harvest season reached 34.42 billion liters, up 4.11%. Production included 22.09 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, up 10.14%, and 12.33 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, down 5.19%. Corn ethanol production, at 7.83 billion liters, was up 31.22%.

Mills in the south-central region sold 1.34 billion liters of ethanol during the first half of March. Domestic sales included 805.6 million liters of hydrous ethanol, down 15%, and 482.36 million liters of anhydrous ethanol, up 4.18%.

Total ethanol sales since the beginning of the 2024-’25 harvest season reached 34.03 billion liters, up 8.91%. Sales included 21.9 billion liters of hydrous ethanol, up 14.66%, and 12.13 billion liters of anhydrous ethanol, down 0.13%.