Govt allows sugar mills to use cane juice for ethanol

New Delhi, December 15

The government on Friday allowed sugar mills to use both cane juice and B-heavy molasses to produce ethanol but capped the diversion of sugar for the purpose at 17 lakh tonnes for the ongoing 2023-24 supply year.

The latest decision comes a week after the government prohibited the use of sugarcane juice and sugar syrup for making ethanol, amid the industry seeking reversal of the decision.

“The flexibility has been given to sugar mills for using both sugarcane juice and B-heavy within an overall cap of 17 lakh tonnes of diversion of sugar for making ethanol in the ongoing 2023-24 supply year (November-October),” Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said.