Sugarcane set to reclaim dominance as ethanol feedstock next year: Industry

Industry experts anticipate a shift back to sugarcane-based molasses as the primary feedstock for ethanol production next year, driven by expected surplus sugar supplies and calls to lift restrictions

After ceding space to grains, industry players believe that sugarcane-based molasses might regain its position as the pre-eminent feedstock in the ambitious ethanol blending program starting in the forthcoming ethanol supply year, which begins in November 2024 or come close to grains.

In the ongoing supply year (2023-24), which ends in October, maize and broken rice have replaced sugarcane-based molasses as a important feedstock for producing ethanol to keep the blending program running. Industry sources said till July 14 around 4.26 billion litres of ethanol have been supplied to the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) by distillaries of