Declining maize acreage raises concerns over feedstock availability for India’s E20 blending programme
A sharp decline in maize acreage across India’s major producing states is expected to increase the ethanol industry’s reliance on sugarcane and rice during the 2026-27 ethanol supply year, posing fresh challenges for the government’s 20% ethanol blending (E20) target, The Hindu businessline reported.
According to the latest crop coverage data, maize sowing stood at 77.79 lakh hectares as of July 24, down 9.7% from 86.15 lakh hectares a year earlier. The decline was particularly sharp in Karnataka (34%), Uttar Pradesh (37%), Maharashtra (16%) and Rajasthan (3%), while Madhya Pradesh was the only major producing state to record an increase, with acreage rising 8.2% to 25.61 lakh hectares.
India requires around 1,100 crore litres of ethanol annually to achieve the E20 blending target. Of the country’s nearly 2,000 crore litres of installed ethanol production capacity, about 900 crore litres is based in the sugar sector, while the remainder is grain-based.
Industry experts said reduced maize availability is likely to increase demand for alternative feedstocks, particularly sugarcane and rice. However, with sugar stocks expected to remain low at the close of the current sugar season on September 30, rice could become the preferred substitute for ethanol production.
Sugarcane sowing has largely been completed, with acreage reaching 57.58 lakh hectares, marginally lower than last year’s 58.84 lakh hectares. Among the key producing states, sugarcane area increased in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, supporting the availability of cane-based ethanol feedstock.
The government has also eased the availability of broken rice for industrial use by reducing its mandatory share in central rice stocks from 25% to 10%, a move expected to increase supplies for ethanol production without affecting food security.
C.K. Jain, President of the Grain Ethanol Manufacturers Association (GEMA), said India’s ethanol programme benefits from a diversified feedstock base that includes kharif, rabi and summer crops, reducing dependence on any single crop or season.
He added that fresh kharif crop arrivals are expected to improve feedstock availability in the coming months and maintained that India remains a net surplus maize producer, providing confidence that ethanol blending targets can still be met despite lower maize acreage.
