Sugarcane-Ethanol Policy: Solution Will Be Found After April, Says Nitin Gadkari At Vasantdada Sugar Institute In Pune

Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, assured sugar mill owners at the International Sugarcane Conference that a solution to their problems regarding the government's policy on using sugar for ethanol production would be found after April. He was speaking at the International Sugarcane Conference organised by the Vasantdada Sugar Institute, which is headed by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar.

The Centre last year banned the use of sugarcane juice for making ethanol but later reversed the decision by allowing the use of sugarcane juice as well as B-heavy molasses to produce the green fuel but capped the diversion of sugar at 17 lakh tonnes.

Emphasising the importance of ethanol production, Gadkari urged the sugar industry to prioritise "Maximum ethanol, minimum sugar" and promote flex engine vehicles. He assured that the government would take appropriate steps regarding ethanol after April, expressing confidence after discussions with the Prime Minister and other ministers.

The Union Minister provided insights into the global sugar industry's evolution, with Brazil, India, and China emerging as the top three sugarcane producers. In 2023, global sugar output reached 188 million tons, with India contributing 33 million tons, representing 20% of the world's sugar production, he noted.

He also underscored the challenges posed by the increasing population, leading to a surge in automobiles, necessitating a shift towards alternative fuels like electric, ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, bio LNG, bio CNG, etc. Gadkari shared his use of a hydrogen car to advocate for the gas as a futuristic fuel and emphasised his commitment to promoting biofuels in India.