Decision on ethanol pricing this week : Pawar

The price to be paid to ethanol producers will be finalised at a meeting of ministry of petroleum and sugar industry officials this week, said Sharad Pawar, agriculture minister.

He also said the ban on sugar exports was temporary and the country is likely to export 3 million tonne of sugar in 2006-07(November-October).

Pawar was speaking on the sidelines of a function here organised by the state government. To a query on the ethanol pricing issue, Pawar said, "We have to consider the benefit to farmers also."

Earlier an official from the sugar industry said that ethanol supply will be assured if they get a higher price for it. Dwelling on the ban on sugar exports, Pawar said this was temporary and will be lifted in due course.

He also said that the country is likely to export three million tonne of sugar in the next season (November-October).

"There will be a record crop next year of around 22.5 million tonne that will take us back to international markets," Pawar said.

The country is expected to produce 22.5 million tonne of sugar in 2006-07 and considering the local consumption of 18.5 million tonne and sufficient buffer stock, the country is expected to export around 3-4 million tonne.