Raw sugar fluctuated slightly yesterday, buoyed by expectations of a decline in Brazilian sugar production. The main contract hit as high as 14.77 cents a pound and as low as 14.54 cents a pound before closing up 0.41 percent at 14.76 cents a pound. Sugar production in Brazil's main sugarcane region in south-central Brazil is expected to fall to a three-year low next year as a lack of replanting cuts yields per unit area and ethanol production increases. Kingsman estimates sugar production in south-central Brazil at 33.99 million tonnes in 2018-19. The central south accounts for more than 90 per cent of Brazil's sugar production. The level represents a year-on-year decline of 2.1m tonnes and would be the lowest since the 31.22m tonnes produced in 2015-16. ; In contrast, the state reserve sold the news of the auction is gradually being digested by the market, although sugar prices fell again during the day, but by the end of the afternoon to recover the losses.