Government to take decision on ethanol price: Farooq Abdullah

22 Nov 2011 Evaluate

The government, in a month’s time, is likely to set price for ethanol and mandate a higher quantum to be blended with petrol under the Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) to promote Bio-fuel. The Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah said that ' We will shortly decide the pricing of ethanol and take it to the Cabinet in about a month's time. We should move towards 10% blending from next year'.

Currently, the government has fixed a provisional price of ethanol at Rs 27 per litre. At this rate, the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) procure ethanol from sugar mills to implement the mandatory 5% ethanol blending with petrol as a part of EBP under national Policy on Bio-fuels. In October 2007, the government had decided for a mandatory 5% ethanol blending with petrol.

However, the sugar mill owners are unhappy with the provisional prices of ethanol, as they can get much higher price if they sell it for rectified spirit, which is also produced from the same feedstock molasses. Sugar millers are of the view that ethanol prices should be at Rs 35-36 per litre. On the other hand, Planning Commission member - Soumitra Chaudhari has suggested linking of ethanol price with international price of petrol, with a discount of 20%.

According to industry data, in the 2011-2012 marketing year (October-September), sugar mills have contracted to supply 600 million litres of ethanol to petrol firms at an ad-hoc price of Rs. 27 per litre. Last year, the sugar mills had contracted 540 million litres however, they were able to supply only 300 million litres.

Indian sugar industry produces 26 million tonne of sugar, 3.5 billion litres of alcohol and 2,300 Mega Watt power and is capable of meeting the demand of potable alcohol and 10% ethanol blending programme.

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