Brazilian mills increased the amount of cane used for ethanol production in the first half of October, and reduced sugar output, taking advantage of better pricing for the biofuel as sugar prices remain weak. Mills in the center-south region, increased the amount of cane they used to produce ethanol to 56 percent in the first half of this month from 53 percent late in September and compared with 50 percent early in October last year. Sugar production of 1.97 million tonnes in the first half of October was 12.2 percent lower than in the same period a year earlier, while ethanol output of 1.57 billion liters was 11.6 percent up.