It has been a tradition to meet before the official opening of the Fenasucro and Agrocana trade fairs, in what is the International Forum on Ethanol, and whose program this year entails the theme “The energy of nations” and the insertion of ethanol and agro-electric power in the world energy matrix. It is an honor to welcome in our city such reputable authorities and specialists – who are represented in this special edition of Revista Opiniões –, to each year discuss the most current issues affecting our industry.

I wish to show the numbers that are reason for pride and that highlight the accomplishments of Fenasucro and Agrocana, with their 450 exhibitors, approximately 30,000 professional visitors, representing 40 different nations and almost all Brazilian states.

These fairs are a means to update advanced knowledge on technologies, processes, machinery and equipment, destined for the sugarcane agro-industry. Due to its program and the speakers who every year make their presentations, this Forum has become the sugar-based energy industry’s most important annual event, whose attendance is a must for industry executives.

We are in a yellow light attention phase in the sugar-based energy industry due to climate factors and the economic crisis we have been facing since the end of 2008, which brought about stagnation both in agriculture and the industrial field, and resulted in a considerable productivity shortfall this harvest.

To meet all the demand for products in the market, we would probably be producing 700 million tons of sugarcane. However, estimates point to a production of 500 to 510 million tons, a significant and unexpected shortfall in this harvest.

One needs to react to face the challenges the sugar and ethanol industry has presented, to win back the optimism of industrial companies, rural producers, industry professionals, and investors, and so, to that end, we are working hard, hoping that better production and profitability conditions will be restored.