'UP can supply ethanol to whole of north India'

Uttar Pradesh has the potential to supply ethanol to the whole of north India for mandatory mixing in fossil fuel at the ratio of 5 per cent.

Ethanol is one of the by-products of sugarcane and used as industrial input in several industries.

“Uttar Pradesh is yet to exploit its potential in the sugar sector and become a leader in sugar and ethanol production, besides cogeneration of power,” Sugar Technologists’ Association of India (STAI) and Simbhaoli Sugars Ltd Executive Director G S C Rao said, addressing the media here on Tuesday.

He said if the sugarcane production could be optimised with right price to farmers and incentives to the industry, the state could supply ethanol for consumption in the whole of the northern region for mixing in fossil fuel.

CII UP State Council Vice Chairperson Jayant Krishna said the state sugar sector had been passing through a difficult phase owing to poor availability of cane in the state and cyclical nature of the industry.

“The crushing season that usually went on for almost six months, now has reduced to merely 90–120 days. As a result, there has been a substantial fall in the production of sugar in the state,” he added.

Krishna said the conference would brainstorm over the issues facing the sugar sector among all the stake holders, including the government, industry and farmers.

“Visualising the gravity of the issue, it was important that the stakeholders assess the situation, understand the challenges and identify the opportunities so that meaningful solutions can be found out to benefit the farmers, industry and the government alike,” he said.

CII supported the privatisation of government sugar mills in the state and felt it would lead to value addition to the sector.