PTI
In a U-turn, the government on Friday reversed its decision to ban the use of sugarcane juice for making ethanol as it allowed utilisation of the juice as well as B-heavy molasses to produce the green fuel but capped the diversion of sugar at 17 lakh tonnes.
For now, the capping will be in place for the 2023-24 supply year that ends in October next 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 told PTI. A committee of ministers took the decision during its meeting on Friday, he said. The decision has been taken amid representation received from the industry to review the December 7 order that banned use of cane juice and sugar syrup with immediate effect.
