New Delhi: Government is mulling to revive the closed sugar mills by starting the ethanol production by using their land. Union minister Nitin Gadkari stated that government is framing a policy to use the land of the closed sugar mills to produce ethanol from sugar, sugarcane juice and molasses. A policy will be framed soon.
Gadkari said, “The plant can be set up on the 5-6 acres of land of the closed mill. The turnover of the ethanol sector may reach up to Rs 1 lakh crore from about Rs 25,000 crore, and it can reduce the annual crude import of Rs 7 lakh crore.”
Gadkari believes ethanol production through sugar will aid in boosting the economy of sugarcane-producing states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Haryana, and Punjab.
Recently, the government increased the price of ethanol from C heavy molasses from Rs.43.46 per litre to Rs.43.75 per litre, and the price of ethanol from B heavy molasses hiked from Rs.52.43 per litre to Rs.54.27 per litre. Price of ethanol from sugarcane juice/sugar/sugar syrup route was fixed at 59.48 per litre.
The Central government has the vision to achieve 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol by 2030 and is moving in the same direction. Experts believe the production of ethanol will aid sugar mills to improve the financial condition as they are struggling with depressed sugar prices, surplus stocks and piling cane arrears.
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