October 22nd 2012 - The 2012/13 harvest has peculiarities caused mostly by climatic phenomenon. The abundant volume of rainfall in May and June, that resulted on 8,8% increase of agricultural yield and reducing industrial efficiency of 2,0%, when compared to values observed in the last harvest, was crucial to the current scenario.

May and June rainfalls improved the quality of planting operations and initial development of ratoon harvested in this year crop. The rainfall has left producers optimistic regarding the development of their sugarcane fields for the 2013/14 harvest.

Approximately 15 days after heavy precipitation at the end of September, 30,9% higher than the historical average, sugarcane fields available for harvest that were suffering from a long drought (sugarcane fields in the Center South region have seen almost no rain between July 18th and September 19th) begun to recuperate, showing good yield results.

On the other hand, the crushing pace, which has reached high record during the month of August, has declined. This condition is mainly due to the return of the rainy season at the end of last month, but also harmed by the cumulative wearing of the harvesting machinery.

It is noteworthy that despite expectations regarding the volume of biscane for the next harvest which has fallen to almost insignificant values, adverse weather conditions, such as a higher than expected incidence of rainfall, could undermine the expected progress of sugarcane crushing. Such scenario could compromise the final crushing volume for the 2012/13 Center South value.

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