New Delhi: Grain-based feedstocks accounted for nearly 70 per cent of India’s cumulative ethanol supplies under the Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26 by August-end, highlighting the growing diversification of the country’s ethanol production ecosystem, according to data compiled by the All India Distillers’ Association (AIDA).

India’s total ethanol supplies stood at 895 crore litres by the end of August, or around 85 per cent of the 1,048 crore litres contracted for the supply year, the data showed.

"India’s ethanol supply ecosystem is becoming increasingly diversified, with grain-based feedstocks contributing 624 crore litres of ethanol by the end of August 2026, accounting for nearly 70% of cumulative supplies under Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26," the release said.

It added, “Of the 895 crore litres supplied cumulatively by August-end, 624 crore litres came from grain-based feedstocks, while sugar-based feedstocks contributed 271 crore litres."

Maize was the largest contributor among grain-based feedstocks, accounting for 345 crore litres of ethanol. Surplus Food Corporation of India (FCI) rice contributed 214 crore litres, while damaged food grains accounted for 64 crore litres.

Sugar-based feedstocks, meanwhile, contributed 271 crore litres by August-end. “Within this, Sugarcane Juice contributed 149 crore litres, followed by B Heavy Molasses at 107 crore litres and C Heavy Molasses at 15 crore litres,” the release noted.

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AIDA, however, flagged the need to ensure that rising ethanol production is matched by sufficient and predictable demand.

“as domestic ethanol capacity and supply continue to expand, the next challenge will increasingly be to ensure that production growth is matched by adequate and predictable avenues for utilisation,” the release said.

This, it added, would become particularly important as India moves beyond the existing ethanol-blending framework towards wider applications, including Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs), Compressed Biogas (CBG) and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

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Bharati Balaji, Deputy Director General, All India Distillers’ Association (AIDA), said, “The August-end numbers demonstrate how significantly India’s ethanol supply ecosystem has evolved. Nearly 70% of the 895 crore litres supplied so far has come from grain-based feedstocks, with maize contributing 345 crore litres and surplus FCI rice contributing another 214 crore litres. At the same time, sugar-based feedstocks continue to provide a substantial share of supplies. This diversity is an important strength of India’s ethanol programme, as it enables the industry to draw upon multiple domestic agricultural resources and reduces dependence on any single feedstock pathway.” (ANI)