Biofuels hold the potential to do more than just reduce carbon emissions from transport—they can drive rural prosperity, create value for farmers, and strengthen India’s energy security, according to Sanjeev Chopra, Secretary in the Department of Food and Public Distribution, reported The Economic Times.
Speaking at the SIAM conference on biofuels, Chopra said India can draw lessons from global models. Brazil’s decades-old ethanol programme blends up to 27% sugarcane-based ethanol in petrol, reducing oil imports, boosting rural incomes, and building a strong bioenergy sector. The United States blends around 10% corn-based ethanol in most petrol sold nationwide, benefiting farmers while lowering emissions. Indonesia has mandated a 35% biodiesel mix using palm oil, which cuts petroleum diesel imports and supports palm oil growers.
“Together, we can turn surplus production into sustainable energy, rural growth into national resilience, and agricultural value into enduring prosperity,” Chopra said. He stressed that ethanol and electric mobility should be seen as complementary, not competing, technologies. “It is not about either-or. These technologies can grow together, meeting consumer needs, supporting producers, and achieving environmental goals,” he added.
Chopra outlined steps to diversify ethanol sources. Starting October 2025, a pilot project will lower the percentage of broken rice allowed in government procurement, freeing up 50 lakh tonnes of fortified rice in five states for ethanol production without affecting food security.
“The idea is to ensure surplus fortified rice already in the system can directly support our fuel blending needs,” he explained.
Maize output is also on the rise, projected to jump from 340 lakh tonnes to 425 lakh tonnes in two years, with a focus on high-yield varieties and better post-harvest handling. Trials at the National Sugar Institute in Kanpur have shown that sweet sorghum can be processed in existing sugar mills without major changes, potentially supplying up to 10% of India’s ethanol needs if cultivated alongside sugarcane.
According to Chopra, expanding ethanol production can provide new markets for crops such as sugarcane, rice, maize, and sorghum—helping stabilise farm incomes, manage surplus stockpiles, and cut dependence on imported oil.
He also linked biofuels to energy security, noting that a diversified strategy could shield India from global shortages of critical materials like lithium and semiconductors, which affect electric vehicle production. “A diverse energy strategy makes us more resilient, both economically and environmentally,” he said.
