Brazilian sugar and ethanol producer Jalles Machado plans to increase sugarcane crushing in the 2026–27 season while allocating a larger share of cane to ethanol production, reflecting the continued shift in Brazil’s integrated sugar and biofuel market.
The company expects to process 7.8 million metric tonnes of sugarcane in the upcoming season, marking a 10.2 per cent increase from the previous crop year, according to Reuters.
Despite the rise in cane throughput, Jalles forecasts sugar production to decline by 4.2 per cent to 418,100 tonnes as it adjusts its production strategy in favour of ethanol, Reuters reported.
Ethanol production is projected to grow more strongly, with output expected to increase 18 per cent to 372,000 cubic metres.
Under the company’s 2026–27 production plan, 41 per cent of processed sugarcane will be allocated to sugar manufacturing, lower than the 46.4 per cent share recorded in 2025–26.
At the same time, ethanol’s share is expected to increase to 59 per cent from 53.6 per cent in the previous season.
The revised production mix signals a continued preference among Brazilian producers to direct more sugarcane toward biofuel production as companies respond to changing market dynamics and strengthen ethanol’s role within the country’s renewable energy sector.
