Sugar futures prices ended the session this Thursday (17th) with a significant increase on the New York and London stock exchanges. The advance was motivated by lower-than-expected crop estimates for the Center-South of Brazil, despite a negative financial situation. The main month of raw sugar on the New York Stock Exchange rose 1.03%, quoted at US$ 17.74 c/lb, with a high of 17.83 c/lb and a low of 17.50 c/lb. In London, the first maturity of the sweetener rose 0.85%, trading at US$ 486.80 a ton. A survey by brokerage Marex pointed to an average forecast for the 2022/23 sugarcane crushing in the Center-South of Brazil, the largest sugarcane producing country and sugar exporter in the world, of 554 million tons, slightly below the average forecast of 560 million of t from the Reuters agency. "This (554 million) is slightly less than we expected, given the reasonable rainfall that has occurred so far and expectations that it will continue," Marex said in a report. Also according to the international entity, based on information reported by Reuters, the survey reflects extreme anxiety and uncertainties about the negative effects on sugarcane quality due to the consequences of last year's drought, frosts and fires. Demand recovery is also on the radar. Brazil's sugar line-up, schedule of shipments through ports, registered 1.55mt in the week to 16 February, up from 1.30mt in the previous week, with 1.45mt of VHP, according to the Williams shipping agency. On the financial side, however, the market followed the expressive drop in oil prices, which tends to put pressure on the sugar market due to the decision on the mix of mills in Brazil. This late afternoon the dollar was high against the real, which tends to encourage exports. Still as a limiting factor, the market monitors the good results in Asia. The consultancy Datagro, however, points out that India and Thailand received rains in recent days, which may have disrupted the harvest work. In Thailand, all regions exceeded the expected volume for the month. INTERN MARKET Sugar prices are approaching the level of R$ 150 per 50 kg bag. On the last trading day, the CEPEA/ESALQ indicator for sugar, Icumsa color from 130 to 180, São Paulo market, had a devaluation of 2.41%, trading at R$ 145.49 per 50 kg bag. In the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, sugar was quoted at R$ 153.25 a bag - stable, according to data collected by the consultancy Datagro. On the last day of calculation, VHP sugar, in Santos (SP), had a FOB price of US$ 18.83 c/lb - stable.