Sugar price surge: Karnataka farmers seek nod for jaggery units to produce ethanol
The Centre has rejected suggestions that the rise in sugar prices is due to diversion of sugarcane for ethanol production
Sugar prices have surged, with sugarcane reportedly being diverted for ethanol production, prompting Karnataka farmers to seek permission for jaggery units to produce ethanol. Despite the central government rejecting claims that the price rise is due to sugarcane diversion for ethanol, farmers and food industry representatives blame the government's policy of increasing ethanol blending in petrol for putting pressure on sugar availability in the domestic market.
Karnataka sugarcane farmers, who have long struggled with low prices for their produce, now see a potential solution in the form of jaggery units producing ethanol. State Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kurubur Shanthakumar argued that local jaggery units should be allowed to produce ethanol for use as an eco-friendly cooking fuel and as automobile fuel for farmers' own vehicles and tractors.
With public sector companies paying around ₹65 per litre for ethanol, farmers' incomes could significantly increase if they were permitted to sell their surplus produce. Currently, Karnataka produces around 600 lakh metric tonnes of sugarcane annually, but only 30 to 40 lakh metric tonnes go to local jaggery units, the rest going to sugar factories.
If jaggery units are allowed to produce ethanol, their number in Karnataka could increase from the current 15,000 to 50,000.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
