The Central government allows sugar mills to employ cane juice and B-heavy molasses for ethanol production, but limits sugar diversion to 17 lakh tons in 2023-24. This follows the government’s ban on sugarcane juice and syrup for ethanol production. The government expects sugar production to fall.
The Central government allows sugar mills to make ethanol from cane juice and B-heavy molasses. Sugar diversion for this purpose was limited to 17 lakh tons during the 2023-24 supply year.
A week earlier, the government banned sugarcane juice and syrup for ethanol production. This decision followed industry requests to reverse the directive.
17 lakh tons of sugar diverted for ethanol
“The flexibility has been given to sugar mills for using both sugarcane juice and B-heavy within an overall cap of 17 lakh tonnes of diversion of sugar for making ethanol in the ongoing 2023-24 supply year (November-October),” Food Minister Sanjeev Chopra stated.
A group of ministers made the decision, he said.
In response to industry requests to reconsider the December 7 directive, sugar mills can now use cane juice and B-heavy molasses to make ethanol. This prior order barred cane juice and sugar syrup for ethanol production immediately. However, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) might supply ethanol from B-heavy molasses offers.
“We are working on modalities to decide on the proportion of cane juice and B-heavy molasses to be used for making ethanol,” Chopra said, adding that they have generated some ethanol from cane juice this year.
6 lakh tonnes of cane juice ethanol
Another food ministry official said 6 lakh tonne of ethanol was produced from cane juice before the December 7 decree.
The government expects sugar production to drop to 32.3-33 million tonnes in 2023-24 (October-September) from 37.3 million tonnes. “We expected cane production to be poor but not lower. Recent rain has lowered recovery percent. Drought in Maharashtra and Karnataka worries “Chopra remarked lately.
Conclusion
The Central government allows sugar mills to employ cane juice and B-heavy molasses for ethanol production, but limits sugar diversion to 17 lakh tons in 2023-24. This comes a week after the government banned sugarcane juice and syrup for ethanol manufacture. The decision follows industry requests to reverse the directive. The government is determining the ethanol-making ratio of cane juice and B-heavy molasses. About 6 lakh tonne of ethanol has been produced from cane juice this supply year. The government expects sugar production to drop to 32.3-33 million tonnes in 2023-24 from 37.3 million tonnes.
