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Agriculture
Gadkari says ethanol boost can lift farmer incomes and curb fuel imports
✍️ The Economic Times
🗓 25 Sep 2026, 08:33 PM
👁 8
Minister Nitin Gadkari said expanding ethanol production could boost farmer incomes and cut India's fuel imports, according to The Economic Times.
Minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted the potential of ethanol in a statement reported by The Economic Times. He said that expanding ethanol production and blending could raise farm incomes and reduce India's dependence on imported fuel.
Gadkari noted that ethanol is derived from sugarcane and other feedstocks, providing an additional market for farmers. Increased demand could translate into higher procurement prices for sugarcane, boosting rural earnings.
He also linked ethanol blending to the government's goal of cutting oil imports, which have strained the trade balance. By raising the ethanol blend in gasoline, the country could replace a portion of petroleum with a domestically produced biofuel.
The minister called for accelerated implementation of the ethanol policy, urging states and sugar mills to scale up production and for oil marketing companies to meet the mandated blending targets.
Gadkari noted that ethanol is derived from sugarcane and other feedstocks, providing an additional market for farmers. Increased demand could translate into higher procurement prices for sugarcane, boosting rural earnings.
He also linked ethanol blending to the government's goal of cutting oil imports, which have strained the trade balance. By raising the ethanol blend in gasoline, the country could replace a portion of petroleum with a domestically produced biofuel.
The minister called for accelerated implementation of the ethanol policy, urging states and sugar mills to scale up production and for oil marketing companies to meet the mandated blending targets.