Latest news with #UNEM
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Analysis-Brazil corn ethanol boom covers demand as country hikes biofuel mandate
By Oliver Griffin SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Growth of Brazil's corn ethanol sector has become key to meeting the country's growing demand for the renewable fuel under a new government mandate to use more ethanol in gasoline, even as sugarcane-based ethanol output has stagnated. Brazil is the world's largest producer of ethanol from sugarcane, but output has flattened since the turn of the decade, while corn ethanol production has more than tripled, according to data from sugar and ethanol industry group UNICA. In the 2024/25 cycle, corn ethanol output in Brazil's center-south region rose nearly 31% from the year before to 8.19 billion liters, according to an UNICA report. On Wednesday, Brazil's government approved a measure hiking the mandatory blend of ethanol in gasoline to 30%, from 27% previously, which will require well over 1 billion more liters of ethanol per year. "Thanks to corn ethanol, we are increasing the blend to 30%, right? If it weren't for this increase in production, we wouldn't be able to implement this policy," said Guilherme Nolasco, president of the corn ethanol industry group UNEM. Brazil's government initially put off raising the ethanol blend in gasoline this year, which some attributed to concerns it could push up prices. By the time officials confirmed the move this week, they were touting it as a way to bring down prices at the pump. Amance Boutin, business development manager at consultancy Argus, said the decision to implement the new biofuel mandate from August is a vote of confidence in the capacity of the corn ethanol sector to keep ramping up production. At the same time, cane growers in Brazil, which is also the world's top exporter for sugar, are expected to maintain their preference for producing the foodstuff over fuel, said Gabriel Barra, director and head of Latin American equity research for oil and gas, petrochemicals and agribusiness at Citibank. "Sugar will continue to take a large part of this mix from sugarcane processing," Barra said. "Ethanol will most likely continue to lose this competition." In March, Citi forecast corn ethanol production in Brazil would hit 16 billion liters by 2032, a sentiment echoed by UNEM's Nolasco. "We have the capacity to double current production by 2032," Nolasco said. According to UNEM, corn ethanol represents 23% of current ethanol production in Brazil and it expects it to grow to account for 40% of the fuel's output over the next decade. At an industry event in Sao Paulo this month, UNICA Chief Executive Evandro Gussi said Brazil is not concerned about whether ethanol comes from sugar, corn or another source, as long as it has low carbon emissions and does not deprive the country of needed food. "In terms of biofuel and ethanol. Brazil … is not the land of 'either' - either this or that," said Gussi, adding he expected both corn- and cane-based ethanol production to grow. Some in Brazil's corn sector are already pushing to expand other crops for use in ethanol production, with sorghum a viable option for farmers who miss the planting window for the country's second corn crop. Increasing the output from sugarcane crops will be crucial to luring fresh investments and boosting the sugar-energy sector, said Cesar Barros, CEO of sugarcane research company CTC, blaming the recent doldrums on a lack of innovation. By contrast, corn has benefited from years of research and development by major multinationals, Barros said. Corn is the crop of choice for the world's biggest ethanol producer, the U.S. "In the same 20-year horizon in which corn doubled its productivity in Brazil, sugar cane practically stagnated, with average productivity increasing very little," Barros said. In April, following years of research, CTC announced the launch of a number of new products that it said will help double the output of sugarcane on Brazilian fields by 2040. "Doubling sugarcane productivity in the next 20 years will ... enable new investments, whether in new plants or in increasing capacity," Barros said. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Reuters
27-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Brazil corn ethanol boom covers demand as country hikes biofuel mandate
SAO PAULO, June 27 (Reuters) - Growth of Brazil's corn ethanol sector has become key to meeting the country's growing demand for the renewable fuel under a new government mandate to use more ethanol in gasoline, even as sugarcane-based ethanol output has stagnated. Brazil is the world's largest producer of ethanol from sugarcane, but output has flattened since the turn of the decade, while corn ethanol production has more than tripled, according to data from sugar and ethanol industry group UNICA. In the 2024/25 cycle, corn ethanol output in Brazil's center-south region rose nearly 31% from the year before to 8.19 billion liters, according to an UNICA report. On Wednesday, Brazil's government approved a measure hiking the mandatory blend of ethanol in gasoline to 30%, from 27% previously, which will require well over 1 billion more liters of ethanol per year. "Thanks to corn ethanol, we are increasing the blend to 30%, right? If it weren't for this increase in production, we wouldn't be able to implement this policy," said Guilherme Nolasco, president of the corn ethanol industry group UNEM. Brazil's government initially put off raising the ethanol blend in gasoline this year, which some attributed to concerns it could push up prices. By the time officials confirmed the move this week, they were touting it as a way to bring down prices at the pump. Amance Boutin, business development manager at consultancy Argus, said the decision to implement the new biofuel mandate from August is a vote of confidence in the capacity of the corn ethanol sector to keep ramping up production. At the same time, cane growers in Brazil, which is also the world's top exporter for sugar, are expected to maintain their preference for producing the foodstuff over fuel, said Gabriel Barra, director and head of Latin American equity research for oil and gas, petrochemicals and agribusiness at Citibank. "Sugar will continue to take a large part of this mix from sugarcane processing," Barra said. "Ethanol will most likely continue to lose this competition." In March, Citi forecast corn ethanol production in Brazil would hit 16 billion liters by 2032, a sentiment echoed by UNEM's Nolasco. "We have the capacity to double current production by 2032," Nolasco said. According to UNEM, corn ethanol represents 23% of current ethanol production in Brazil and it expects it to grow to account for 40% of the fuel's output over the next decade. At an industry event in Sao Paulo this month, UNICA Chief Executive Evandro Gussi said Brazil is not concerned about whether ethanol comes from sugar, corn or another source, as long as it has low carbon emissions and does not deprive the country of needed food. "In terms of biofuel and ethanol. Brazil … is not the land of 'either' - either this or that," said Gussi, adding he expected both corn- and cane-based ethanol production to grow. Some in Brazil's corn sector are already pushing to expand other crops for use in ethanol production, with sorghum a viable option for farmers who miss the planting window for the country's second corn crop. Increasing the output from sugarcane crops will be crucial to luring fresh investments and boosting the sugar-energy sector, said Cesar Barros, CEO of sugarcane research company CTC, blaming the recent doldrums on a lack of innovation. By contrast, corn has benefited from years of research and development by major multinationals, Barros said. Corn is the crop of choice for the world's biggest ethanol producer, the U.S. "In the same 20-year horizon in which corn doubled its productivity in Brazil, sugar cane practically stagnated, with average productivity increasing very little," Barros said. In April, following years of research, CTC announced the launch of a number of new products that it said will help double the output of sugarcane on Brazilian fields by 2040. "Doubling sugarcane productivity in the next 20 years will ... enable new investments, whether in new plants or in increasing capacity," Barros said.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Analysis-Brazil corn ethanol boom covers demand as country hikes biofuel mandate
By Oliver Griffin SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Growth of Brazil's corn ethanol sector has become key to meeting the country's growing demand for the renewable fuel under a new government mandate to use more ethanol in gasoline, even as sugarcane-based ethanol output has stagnated. Brazil is the world's largest producer of ethanol from sugarcane, but output has flattened since the turn of the decade, while corn ethanol production has more than tripled, according to data from sugar and ethanol industry group UNICA. In the 2024/25 cycle, corn ethanol output in Brazil's center-south region rose nearly 31% from the year before to 8.19 billion liters, according to an UNICA report. On Wednesday, Brazil's government approved a measure hiking the mandatory blend of ethanol in gasoline to 30%, from 27% previously, which will require well over 1 billion more liters of ethanol per year. "Thanks to corn ethanol, we are increasing the blend to 30%, right? If it weren't for this increase in production, we wouldn't be able to implement this policy," said Guilherme Nolasco, president of the corn ethanol industry group UNEM. Brazil's government initially put off raising the ethanol blend in gasoline this year, which some attributed to concerns it could push up prices. By the time officials confirmed the move this week, they were touting it as a way to bring down prices at the pump. Amance Boutin, business development manager at consultancy Argus, said the decision to implement the new biofuel mandate from August is a vote of confidence in the capacity of the corn ethanol sector to keep ramping up production. At the same time, cane growers in Brazil, which is also the world's top exporter for sugar, are expected to maintain their preference for producing the foodstuff over fuel, said Gabriel Barra, director and head of Latin American equity research for oil and gas, petrochemicals and agribusiness at Citibank. "Sugar will continue to take a large part of this mix from sugarcane processing," Barra said. "Ethanol will most likely continue to lose this competition." In March, Citi forecast corn ethanol production in Brazil would hit 16 billion liters by 2032, a sentiment echoed by UNEM's Nolasco. "We have the capacity to double current production by 2032," Nolasco said. According to UNEM, corn ethanol represents 23% of current ethanol production in Brazil and it expects it to grow to account for 40% of the fuel's output over the next decade. At an industry event in Sao Paulo this month, UNICA Chief Executive Evandro Gussi said Brazil is not concerned about whether ethanol comes from sugar, corn or another source, as long as it has low carbon emissions and does not deprive the country of needed food. "In terms of biofuel and ethanol. Brazil … is not the land of 'either' - either this or that," said Gussi, adding he expected both corn- and cane-based ethanol production to grow. Some in Brazil's corn sector are already pushing to expand other crops for use in ethanol production, with sorghum a viable option for farmers who miss the planting window for the country's second corn crop. Increasing the output from sugarcane crops will be crucial to luring fresh investments and boosting the sugar-energy sector, said Cesar Barros, CEO of sugarcane research company CTC, blaming the recent doldrums on a lack of innovation. By contrast, corn has benefited from years of research and development by major multinationals, Barros said. Corn is the crop of choice for the world's biggest ethanol producer, the U.S. "In the same 20-year horizon in which corn doubled its productivity in Brazil, sugar cane practically stagnated, with average productivity increasing very little," Barros said. In April, following years of research, CTC announced the launch of a number of new products that it said will help double the output of sugarcane on Brazilian fields by 2040. "Doubling sugarcane productivity in the next 20 years will ... enable new investments, whether in new plants or in increasing capacity," Barros said.
Ya Biladi
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Pro-Palestine students disrupt former Moroccan Prime Minister's lecture
This afternoon, students disrupted a lecture by Saad-Eddine El Othmani at the Faculty of Humanities in Tetouan. The former head of government was there to present his new book, Depression... Towards a Deeper Understanding and Better Management. The protesters, from the radical left wing of the National Union of Moroccan Students (UNEM), which is dominated by Al Adl Wal Ihsane, expressed strong opposition to El Othmani's presence. Despite their ideological differences, both Islamist and far-left groups share a common stance: rejecting the normalization of relations between Morocco and Israel, which was formalized in Rabat on December 22, 2020, under El Othmani's government. In a statement, UNEM condemned «the presence of symbols associated with the Zionist occupation at the university». The students also criticized the Justice and Development Party (PJD) for signing a 2017 statement by Moroccan political parties that accused the Rif Hirak movement of «separatism». For the record, in late March in Tangier, members of the PJD were prevented by protesters from the Moroccan Front in Support of Palestine and Against Normalization, a coalition where Al Adl Wal Ihsane and the far left coexist, from participating in a solidarity march with the people of Gaza.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
China to allow Brazil's ethanol by-product amid Lula visit, US-China trade war
By Ella Cao and Eduardo Baptista BEIJING (Reuters) - Brazil signed protocols with China on Tuesday to allow exports of an ethanol by-product used in animal feed, challenging U.S. dominance in the market amid ongoing China-U.S. trade standoff. The deal, outlined in a Brazilian government document viewed by Reuters, underscores Brazil's push to strengthen agricultural ties with China as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visits the country, and as rising domestic DDG production fuels the search for alternative markets. Distillers dried grains (DDGs) are highly valued in animal feed, particularly for pigs, cattle, and poultry. In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the president of Brazil's National Corn Ethanol Union (UNEM) said Brazil and China have been working since 2022 to finalise a sanitary agreement for DDG exports, adding current "broad geopolitical shifts" present a favourable time to conclude the deal. "It opens up an opportunity for Brazil to become another supplier, another option for China to source animal nutrition products. For us, it means re-establishing and strengthening the relationship between the Brazilian and Chinese markets, which share multiple mutual interests," Guilherme Nolasco added. In 2024, the U.S. was nearly the sole supplier of DDGs to China, dominating the market with 99.6% of imports by volume, valued at $65.7 million, the Chinese customs data showed. According to Nolasco, over 10 new plants are under construction and set to begin production within the next two to three years for corn ethanol and DDG, coinciding with the opening of the Chinese market. Nolasco expects DDG production in Brazil to potentially reach up to 5 million tons in 2025/26. In April, Agriculture Minister Carlos Fávaro revealed that Brazil is nearing a deal with China to allow DDG exports. Separately, both countries also signed protocols for the export of poultry and extractive fishery products from Brazil to China, according to the document.
