Govt sees no impact on ethanol blending prog due to ban on using cane juice for making green fuel
ethanol blending target by 2025-26 and said the ban on the use of sugarcane juice and sugar syrup has been imposed as a «temporary» step due to lack of clarity on cane output for the current season. However, the government has a plan in place to promote ethanol production through various feedstock such as B and C-heavy molasses, damaged rice and maize.
The government also said the situation has not reached a stage for the country to undertake the import of ethanol.
In 2022-23 ethanol supply year (November-October), the government achieved 12 per cent blending of ethanol with petrol.
The target for the current year is 15 per cent for which 690 litres of ethanol would be required.
On Thursday, the food ministry banned the use of sugarcane juice and sugar syrup for making ethanol in the 2023-24 ethanol supply year amid a likely fall in cane production owing to drought and rainfall in key producing states.
In a joint media briefing, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra and Petroleum Secretary Pankaj Jain dispelled market rumours regarding the adverse impact on the ethanol blending programme because of the ban.
«The government is fully committed to the ethanol blending programme. Absolutely, there is no question of dilution of our commitment to that programme,» Jain said.
In 2021-22 supply year, the government had achieved 10 per cent ethanol blending well in advance. In 2022-23 despite concerns over rice supply which FCI had stopped, the ethanol blending of over 12 per cent was achieved. The ethanol blending target for 2023-24 is 15 per cent for which 690 litres of ethanol would be required.
