Agência Brasil*
Rio de Janeiro – The Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE) estimates that annual production of sugarcane should total 561.8 million tonnes next year, the volume is 9.3% greater than in 2007, when 514.1 million tonnes were harvested.
Based on crop estimates for next year, the figures, disclosed yesterday (10) show that the cropland should rise 8.3% over 2007, when a total of 6.7 million hectares of cane were planted. Next year, productivity should also rise. According to the IBGE, the expansion should be from 76,594 kilograms per hectare this year to 77,304 kilograms per hectare in 2008.
The increase in domestic and foreign consumption of alcohol and interest in Brazilian ethanol and sugar, both made from sugarcane, explain the estimate, according to technicians at the organisation.
*Translated by Mark Ament
