Maize production in India has risen by nearly 30%, increasing from 337.30 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) in 2021–22 to 443 LMT in 2024–25, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi informed the Rajya Sabha.
He also stated that sugar production during the Sugar Season (SS) 2024–25 (October–September) exceeded domestic requirements. Total sugar availability for the season stood at 340 LMT, in addition to 34 LMT diverted for ethanol production, against a domestic demand of 281 LMT. According to the Minister, channeling sugar towards ethanol has helped regulate surplus inventories and ensured timely payment of cane dues to farmers.
Gopi highlighted that the National Policy on Biofuels, amended in 2022, encourages the use of damaged food grains such as broken rice, grains unfit for consumption, and surplus stocks identified by the National Biofuel Coordination Committee (NBCC). The policy also supports the use of agricultural residues—including rice straw, cotton stalk, corn cobs, sawdust, and bagasse—and additional feedstock like corn, cassava, rotten potatoes, maize, sugarcane juice, and molasses.
He noted that the use of individual feedstocks for ethanol production varies each year, depending on availability, cost, economic viability, market demand, and policy incentives. Any diversion of sugarcane juice, by-products, maize, or other food and feed crops for ethanol is undertaken in consultation with stakeholders to ensure a balanced approach.
The Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, Gopi said, has facilitated payments of over ₹1,36,300 crore to farmers from Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2014–15 to October 2025. The programme has also led to foreign exchange savings exceeding ₹1,55,000 crore, reduced nearly 790 LMT of CO₂ emissions, and substituted more than 260 LMT of crude oil. To further promote second-generation ethanol, the government has launched the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, aimed at supporting advanced biofuel projects that utilize lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstocks.
The Minister added that the government is encouraging farmers to shift from water-intensive crops such as rice and sugarcane to more sustainable options like maize for ethanol production. The “Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020–25” notes that technological improvements have enabled both molasses-based distilleries with incineration boilers and grain-based distilleries to achieve zero liquid discharge (ZLD), minimizing environmental impact. The government is also promoting water-saving practices in sugarcane cultivation through drip irrigation under the ‘Per Drop More Crop’ scheme, with many sugar mills conducting awareness campaigns to encourage farmers to adopt conservation methods.
