📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Martin F. Gomon
Agriculture
India's ethanol targets fall short despite large rice diversion
✍️ India Today
🗓 25 Aug 2026, 12:17 AM
👁 4
Analysts say India's calculations for ethanol production are not adding up, even as the government diverts substantial rice stocks for biofuel. The mismatch raises concerns over policy feasibility.
New data suggests that the projected volumes of ethanol derived from diverted rice are not aligning with the government's stated targets. While the Ministry of Food Processing Industries announced a significant shift of rice stocks to ethanol plants, calculations of yield per tonne appear inconsistent, prompting industry observers to question the underlying assumptions.
Agricultural economists point out that the conversion efficiency of rice to ethanol varies based on grain quality and processing technology. Without transparent metrics, the reported figures risk overstating the contribution of rice diversion to the national ethanol mandate.
The discrepancy has sparked debate in policy circles about the sustainability of relying on food grains for fuel. Critics argue that the approach could strain food supplies, whereas proponents maintain that it supports farmer incomes and energy security. The government has yet to release a detailed reconciliation of the numbers.
Stakeholders, including ethanol producers and farmer associations, are calling for a clearer framework that reconciles agricultural output with biofuel goals, ensuring that both food security and renewable energy objectives are met.
Until a comprehensive audit is published, the gap between projected and actual ethanol output remains a point of contention, highlighting the need for more rigorous data handling in India's biofuel strategy.
Agricultural economists point out that the conversion efficiency of rice to ethanol varies based on grain quality and processing technology. Without transparent metrics, the reported figures risk overstating the contribution of rice diversion to the national ethanol mandate.
The discrepancy has sparked debate in policy circles about the sustainability of relying on food grains for fuel. Critics argue that the approach could strain food supplies, whereas proponents maintain that it supports farmer incomes and energy security. The government has yet to release a detailed reconciliation of the numbers.
Stakeholders, including ethanol producers and farmer associations, are calling for a clearer framework that reconciles agricultural output with biofuel goals, ensuring that both food security and renewable energy objectives are met.
Until a comprehensive audit is published, the gap between projected and actual ethanol output remains a point of contention, highlighting the need for more rigorous data handling in India's biofuel strategy.