Latest news with #NationalPolicyonBiofuels
The Hindu
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Jagatjit Industries starts commercial production of grain-based ethanol
Jagatjit Industries Ltd. said it has commenced commercial production at its 200‑kilolitre‑per‑day (KLPD) grain‑based ethanol distillery, housed within the company's complex at Hamira in Punjab. At full capacity, it could supply up to 65–70 million litre of ethanol per year, directly supporting the government's 20% ethanol blending target under the National Policy on Biofuels. Roshini Sanah Jaiswal, Promoter & Executive Director said 'This plant marks a strategic milestone in Jagatjit Industries' journey.' 'With a ₹550 crore annual topline opportunity and an 8–10% margin lift, it brings stable, high-quality revenue that strengthens our balance sheet and funds our next phase of growth across premium spirits and new markets,' she said. 'It aligns us with India's clean energy mandate—converting surplus grain into biofuel and contributing meaningfully to the country's ethanol blending targets. This is a decisive step in building a more resilient and future-focused company,' she added. The commissioning comes at a time when the government's ethanol‑blending programme has already lifted the petrol‑blend from virtually zero to 20%, and policy discussions are under way to raise that level to 27% in the years ahead. Under the National Policy on Biofuels, distillers can draw on a wide range of feedstocks—corn, broken rice, damaged food grain and even agricultural residue—when supplies are officially deemed surplus. Jagatjit's plant is designed to handle this mix, turning what might otherwise go to waste into fuel that cuts emissions and reduces the country's dependence on imported crude oil.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ISMA urges centre to continue with curbs on ethanol imports
New Delhi, The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) has urged the government to continue with the restrictions on ethanol imports as the measure has spurred India's petrol blending programme in the drive to green energy and also enabled timely payments to sugarcane farmers. ISMA has, in a letter to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal , referred to media reports suggesting the possible consideration of lifting restrictions on ethanol imports for fuel blending, as part of ongoing trade discussions with the US. The latter states that over the last few years, the Government's clear and forward-looking policy direction-anchored in the National Policy on Biofuels which led to placing ethanol imports for fuel under the 'restricted' category, has laid a solid foundation for a self-reliant, domestic ethanol economy. The interest subvention schemes and facilitative regulatory ecosystem have catalysed the establishment and expansion of indigenous ethanol capacities across India, the letter points out. These landmark interventions have achieved multiple national objectives of ensuring timely payments and enhanced incomes for sugarcane farmers, reducing India's dependence on imported crude oil and promoting clean and sustainable biofuels , the letter states. It highlights that the coordinated effort has led to India's ethanol production capacity growing by over 140 per cent since 2018, with investments exceeding Rs 40,000 crore. Ethanol blending has already reached 18.86 per cent and is firmly on track to meet the 20 per cent blending objective ahead of target. This remarkable progress has been made possible due to the Prime Minister's visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to the welfare of India's farmers. This has had a direct and measurable impact on farmers' welfare. By allowing the diversion of sugarcane and surplus grains into ethanol production at administered prices, the government has enabled timely cane payments and improved farm-level incomes across the country, the letter added. The latter states that opening up ethanol imports for blending would pose challenges to the sugar industry as it would affect profitability and may lead to underutilisation of Indian ethanol plants, many of which are still in the early stages of capital recovery.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ISMA urges Govt to continue with curbs on ethanol imports
New Delhi: The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) has urged the government to continue with the restrictions on ethanol imports as the measure has spurred India's petrol blending programme in the drive to green energy and also enabled timely payments to sugarcane farmers. ISMA has, in a letter to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, referred to media reports suggesting the possible consideration of lifting restrictions on ethanol imports for fuel blending, as part of ongoing trade discussions with the US. The latter states that over the last few years, the Government's clear and forward-looking policy direction-anchored in the National Policy on Biofuels which led to placing ethanol imports for fuel under the 'restricted' category, has laid a solid foundation for a self-reliant, domestic ethanol economy. The interest subvention schemes and facilitative regulatory ecosystem have catalysed the establishment and expansion of indigenous ethanol capacities across India, the letter points out. These landmark interventions have achieved multiple national objectives of ensuring timely payments and enhanced incomes for sugarcane farmers, reducing India's dependence on imported crude oil and promoting clean and sustainable biofuels, the letter states. It highlights that the coordinated effort has led to India's ethanol production capacity growing by over 140 per cent since 2018, with investments exceeding Rs 40,000 crore. Ethanol blending has already reached 18.86 per cent and is firmly on track to meet the 20 per cent blending objective ahead of target. This remarkable progress has been made possible due to the Prime Minister's visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to the welfare of India's farmers. This has had a direct and measurable impact on farmers' welfare. By allowing the diversion of sugarcane and surplus grains into ethanol production at administered prices, the government has enabled timely cane payments and improved farm-level incomes across the country, the letter added. The latter states that opening up ethanol imports for blending would pose challenges to the sugar industry as it would affect profitability and may lead to underutilisation of Indian ethanol plants, many of which are still in the early stages of capital recovery.
Hans India
15-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
ISMA urges Govt to continue with curbs on ethanol imports
New Delhi: The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) has urged the government to continue with the restrictions on ethanol imports as the measure has spurred India's petrol blending programme in the drive to green energy and also enabled timely payments to sugarcane farmers. ISMA has, in a letter to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, referred to media reports suggesting the possible consideration of lifting restrictions on ethanol imports for fuel blending, as part of ongoing trade discussions with the US. The latter states that over the last few years, the Government's clear and forward-looking policy direction-anchored in the National Policy on Biofuels which led to placing ethanol imports for fuel under the 'restricted' category, has laid a solid foundation for a self-reliant, domestic ethanol economy. The interest subvention schemes and facilitative regulatory ecosystem have catalysed the establishment and expansion of indigenous ethanol capacities across India, the letter points out. These landmark interventions have achieved multiple national objectives of ensuring timely payments and enhanced incomes for sugarcane farmers, reducing India's dependence on imported crude oil and promoting clean and sustainable biofuels, the letter states. It highlights that the coordinated effort has led to India's ethanol production capacity growing by over 140 per cent since 2018, with investments exceeding Rs 40,000 crore. Ethanol blending has already reached 18.86 per cent and is firmly on track to meet the 20 per cent blending objective ahead of target. This remarkable progress has been made possible due to the Prime Minister's visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to the welfare of India's farmers. This has had a direct and measurable impact on farmers' welfare. By allowing the diversion of sugarcane and surplus grains into ethanol production at administered prices, the government has enabled timely cane payments and improved farm-level incomes across the country, the letter added. The latter states that opening up ethanol imports for blending would pose challenges to the sugar industry as it would affect profitability and may lead to underutilisation of Indian ethanol plants, many of which are still in the early stages of capital recovery.
Mint
02-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Sugar industry seeks ethanol price revision as blending share drops to 28 pc
New Delhi, The sugar industry has demanded a revision of ethanol procurement prices and extension of blending targets beyond 20 per cent, as the sector's contribution to the national ethanol programme has declined sharply from 73 per cent to just 28 per cent. The industry has also demanded accelerated promotion and manufacturing of Flex-Fuel Vehicles to boost ethanol demand and ensure market preparedness for higher blending, National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories said in a statement. The demand was made by the industry delegation, led by Ravi Gupta, Chairman of IFGE's Sugar Bioenergy Group, and expert Member on the Board of NFCSF, in a meeting held at the PMO recently, it said. In 2022-23 season , NFCSF said the sugar industry reached a significant milestone by diverting 43 lakh tonnes of sugar towards ethanol production, enabling the supply of 369 crore litres of ethanol, which accounted for 73 per cent of total ethanol blended with fuel across the country. However, in 2023-24, ethanol supply from sugar-based feedstocks declined to 270 crore litres, contributing only 38 per cent to the national blending programme. "This is projected to fall further to 250 crore litres in 2024-25, making up just 28 per cent of the total blending target of 900 crore litres," it said in a statement. The main reason for this drop is that ethanol procurement prices have not been increased in line with the rise in the Fair and Remunerative Price of sugarcane, making ethanol production less profitable for sugar mills. Although there is potential to divert up to 40 lakh tonnes of sugar into ethanol this year, only 32 lakh tonnes are expected to be diverted. "This shortfall is due to the gap between ethanol prices and better returns from selling sugar directly in the domestic market," NFCSF said. As a result, India's ethanol production capacity of 952 crore litres per year including 130 crore litres from multi-feed distilleries is being under-utilised. The Ethanol Blending Programme has emerged as a vital solution to the longstanding issue of surplus sugar stocks under the National Policy on Biofuels – 2018, which set an ambitious target to divert 60 to 70 lakh tonnes of excess sugar annually towards ethanol production. Since the policy's inception, India's ethanol production capacity has expanded significantly from 518 crore litres in 2018 to 1,800 crore litres in 2025. Correspondingly, the ethanol blending rate with petrol has risen sharply from 4.22 per cent to 18.61 per cent as of April 30, 2025. Sugar production has reached 286.9 lakh tonnes as on April 30 of the ongoing 2024-25 season, out of which 30 lakh tonnes have been diverted for ethanol. The industry has additionally suggested evaluating the possibility of blending ethanol in diesel as a future strategy to expand ethanol use across fuel types. NFCSF noted that diverting sugar to ethanol does not reduce the actual production of sugar but helps to manage surplus sugar stocks, stabilise market prices, improve the financial health of sugar mills, and ensure timely payments to farmers. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
