New Sugar Production Season to Begin in Brazil Next Month

23-Mar-2026 01:23 PM

São Paulo. In Brazil—the world's leading producer and exporter of sugar—the new marketing season for sugarcane crushing is set to formally commence in April, continuing until December 2026.

Although sugarcane crushing does take place at a few units during the January-March quarter, it is not considered particularly significant.

According to a report by UNICA, the country's apex industry body, total sugarcane crushing in Brazil's Center-South region during the April–September 2025 period declined to 600.4 million tonnes—a decrease of 2.28 percent compared to the 614.4 million tonnes crushed during the same months in 2024.

Nevertheless, sugar production in the region rose from 39.88 million tonnes to 40.22 million tonnes. This increase was driven by two factors: first, an improvement in the average sugar recovery rate from sugarcane; and second, the diversion of a larger quantity of sugarcane toward sugar production rather than ethanol.

The situation is expected to shift during the 2026 season, as a surge in petroleum prices may prompt millers to prioritize increasing ethanol production.