Increased Ethanol Diversion: Approximately 35 lakh tonnes of sugar are projected for ethanol production in 2024-25, up from 21.5 lakh tonnes in 2023-24, indicating a strong push for biofuels.
Ethanol Blending Targets: India aims for 20% ethanol blending by 2025-26 and 30% by 2030, driving increased ethanol production.
Food Security Concerns: Reliance on sugarcane, maize, and rice for ethanol could divert resources from food production, potentially increasing food prices and impacting vulnerable populations.
Land Use Pressure: Meeting blending targets requires significant land allocation for feedstock cultivation, straining land, water, and fertilizer resources.
Water Resource Depletion: Ethanol production consumes substantial water, exacerbating water stress in agricultural regions.
Limited Emission Reductions: The EBP offers modest emission reductions and ethanol plants can cause pollution.
Technological Gaps: India primarily uses less efficient first-generation ethanol production.
Sustainable Solutions: Promoting 3G ethanol from microalgae, strengthening environmental regulations (LCA, CCS, carbon credits), advanced irrigation, ZLD technology, agroforestry, and circular economy models are crucial for balancing production with sustainability.
Sugar Production: Sugar production between October 2024 and April 15, 2025 was 254.97 lakh tonnes and 38 of the 534 factories continued to operate.
Uttar Pradesh Cane Availability: Cane availability had improved in Uttar Pradesh and hence some of the factories in that State were expected to continue sugar production till the first week of May.
