2017/18 harvest cane milling in South Central is still 16 mi t late, says Unica

SAO PAULO-the milling of sugar cane by plants and distilleries in the Center-South of Brazil''s late at 16,090,000 tons in the crop 2017/18 in relation to the observed in the previous cycle, the sugar cane industry Union (Unica) on Tuesday.
Since the beginning of the season, in April, until the first two weeks of July, were processed 246,580,000 tons of raw material, 6,13% drop compared to the previous year, reflecting the lowest offer for grinding cane in this year.
The level of Total Recoverable Sugar (ATR), also in the crop reaches 125.48 kg per ton of sugarcane milled, high of 0,15% before 2016/17.
Ethanol production totals, from April until the first two weeks of July, 9.49 billion liters (4.06 billion 5.43 billion of anhydrous and hydrated), low 12,12%, while sugar sum 14,150,000 tons, up 2,10%.
The numbers reflect the mix more sugar bowl this year. Since the beginning of the cycle, 47,99% of supply of raw material was intended for the manufacture of Sweet''N Low, against 44,19% a year ago.
In the first fortnight of July, the only pointed out that the production of sugar in the Center-South of Brazil totaled 3,101,000 tonnes, up from 2,972,000 tons in the previous fortnight and 2,840,000 tons a year ago.
It was also the largest sugar fortnightly production so far in 2017/18, although the number has been in line with the expected by the market.
In the case of ethanol, manufacturing in the first 15 days of July was 1.88 billion liters, with 843 million liters of anhydrous and hydrated 1.04 billion liters.
"Favoured by the climate in the Center-South, dry and without rain during the first half of July, the concentration of Total Recoverable Sugar (ATR) per ton of raw material totaled 135.07 kg during this period, strong growth on the results of the previous fortnight", highlighted the unique, in a report.
Citing data from the sugar cane Technology Center (CTC), the entity also reported that agricultural productivity over the past month in the Center-South reached 85.8 tonnes per hectare, an increase of 2,70% on the index in the same month of 2016.
"However, in the first quarter of the crop (April to June), there is a breach of agricultural 4,2%: 82.3 tons per hectare against 85.9 tonnes per hectare in the same period of the crop 2016/17," said One.