India’s ethanol revolution: From sugar dependence to grain dominance in a decade
India’s ethanol programme has expanded rapidly, with supply rising from 15.40 crore litres in 2012–13 to 1,048.10 crore litres in 2025–26. The shift from fully sugar-based feedstock to over 70% grain-based production has pushed blending levels to 19.17% in April–September 2025, bringing the country close to the 20% target.
India’s ethanol blending program has transformed dramatically over the past 13 years, with supply surging nearly 68-fold and a historic shift in feedstock—from 100 per cent sugar-based to over 70 per cent grain-based—reshaping the nation’s biofuel ecosystem.
The latest data, covering Ethanol Supply Years (ESY) 2012–13 to 2025–26, highlights this remarkable evolution.
Ethanol supply to oil marketing companies (OMCs) has risen from 15.40 crore liters in ESY 2012–13 to an allocated 1,048.10 crore liters for ESY 2025–26—a 68-fold increase. This surge has driven blending percentages from a modest 0.67 per cent to 19.17 per cent in the first half (April–September 2025) of ESY 2024–25, bringing India close to its 20 per cent ethanol blending target by 2025.
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Source : The Hindu Business line
