Agência Brasil*
Brasília – Brazil should have the largest sugarcane crop in its history this year. According to a study by the National Food Supply Company (Conab), based on production figures for all states where the activity is developed, the crop this year should be between 607.8 million and 631.5 million tonnes, between 8.8% and 13.1% over last year, when it totalled 558.5 million tonnes.
The study shows that between 309.8 million and 321.9 million tonnes of cane harvested in this crop should be turned to the production of biofuels, whereas from 248.3 to 257.9 million tonnes should be transformed into sugar. The rest, 49.6 million to 51.7 million tonnes, should be used in the production of cane spirit and sweets and as cattle feed, seeds or saplings.
According to the Conab, investment in technology in sugar mills, the cultivation of more productive varieties and the favourable climate are the main reasons for the growth. Apart from that, the cropland rose from 7 million to 7.8 million hectares, growth that took place mainly on grazing grounds.
Figures supplied by the Conab show that the country now has 276 million hectares of arable land. Of this total, 72% is occupied by grazing grounds, 16.9% by grain and 2.8% by sugarcane, showing the potential growth for the product on pastures.
The grinding of sugarcane in the 2008 season started this month in the states of the Centre-South, responsible for 90% of total production. Conab forecasts are for the grinding to result in production of 26.4 billion to 27.4 billion litres of alcohol, from 14.9% to 19.4% more than last year. Around 4.2 billion litres should be exported, being 2.5 billion litres to the United States alone.
The great volume of alcohol exports to the United States is a consequence of the expansion of their addition of alcohol to petrol, as well as to the growth of the dual fuel fleet. In Brazil, this kind of vehicle already represents 85% of new vehicle sales.
*Translated by Mark Ament
