Sugarcane farmers want right to produce ethanol from cane, not just molasses

In India, peasant farmers in Maharashtra are demanding government permission to produce ethanol directly from excess cane rather than just from the molasses byproduct, especially since Praj—who designs and manufactures ethanol plants for the global market—is located in the state. Producers say the government won’t allow direct ethanol production because it would lose out on taxes from sugar production.