Brazil's Sugarcane Production Estimated to Reach 710 Million Tons

04-May-2026 01:57 PM

São Paulo. In Brazil—the world's leading producer and exporter of sugar—the sugarcane crop is currently in excellent condition. The government agency CONAB has projected that total production for the 2026-27 season will rise by 5.3 percent compared to 2025-26, reaching 709.1 million tons; this would mark the second-largest production volume recorded since the 2023-24 season.

According to CONAB's report, two key factors are expected to contribute to this outcome: firstly, an anticipated improvement in sugarcane yield rates, and secondly, the likelihood that the crop will be harvested across a larger land area than in the previous year.

On a national level, the average sugarcane yield is expected to increase by 3.4 percent, reaching 77.753 tons per hectare. Similarly, the actual harvested area is projected to expand by 1.9 percent to 9.1 million hectares—the largest acreage recorded to date.

Approximately 90 percent of Brazil's sugar production originates in the South-Central region. In this region, sugarcane output is expected to rise by 6.8 percent, reaching 459.1 million tons. The harvested area in this region is also projected to increase by 2.1 percent, reaching 5.7 million hectares. Furthermore, the average sugarcane yield in this area is expected to grow by 4.6 percent, reaching 80.852 tons per hectare.

In the country's Central-West region, sugarcane is likely to be harvested across 2 million hectares, with the average yield rate expected to stand at 77.595 tons per hectare. This year, millers in Brazil may place greater emphasis on utilizing sugarcane for ethanol production rather than for sugar manufacturing.