📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Joydeep Chakraborty
Agriculture
India to Keep Ethanol Blending at 20% for Now, Says Puri
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 28 Oct 2026, 06:48 AM
👁 15
Union Minister Puri announced that the government has no immediate plans to increase the ethanol‑fuel blending target beyond the current 20% ceiling.
New Delhi – Union Minister Puri told reporters that the ethanol blending mandate will remain capped at 20% for the foreseeable future. The statement comes amid ongoing discussions about fuel security and the agricultural sector's capacity to supply ethanol.
The government had previously set a target of 20% ethanol in gasoline to reduce oil imports and boost demand for sugarcane‑derived ethanol. While the target was hailed as a step toward energy self‑reliance, officials said scaling beyond 20% would require additional infrastructure and raw material availability.
Puri emphasized that the current level is being closely monitored and that any revision will be based on a detailed assessment of production capacity, pricing impact, and environmental benefits. The ministry will continue to work with sugar mills and oil companies to ensure smooth implementation of the existing blend.
Stakeholders in the sugar and oil sectors have welcomed the clarification, noting that a stable blending target helps them plan investments and procurement strategies without uncertainty.
The decision will be reviewed periodically, and the ministry has pledged to keep the public informed of any future policy adjustments.
The government had previously set a target of 20% ethanol in gasoline to reduce oil imports and boost demand for sugarcane‑derived ethanol. While the target was hailed as a step toward energy self‑reliance, officials said scaling beyond 20% would require additional infrastructure and raw material availability.
Puri emphasized that the current level is being closely monitored and that any revision will be based on a detailed assessment of production capacity, pricing impact, and environmental benefits. The ministry will continue to work with sugar mills and oil companies to ensure smooth implementation of the existing blend.
Stakeholders in the sugar and oil sectors have welcomed the clarification, noting that a stable blending target helps them plan investments and procurement strategies without uncertainty.
The decision will be reviewed periodically, and the ministry has pledged to keep the public informed of any future policy adjustments.