India mandates E10 ethanol blend effective October 2008

India will double its current ethanol mandate from E5 to E10, national Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar announced today.

The measure is intended to address the rising sugar stocks in the country amidst depressed global sugar prices, as well as address India’s rising demand for fuel at a time of historically high oil prices. The Agriculture Minister also said that India will lift its ban on direct production of ethanol from sugar cane juice.

India had been facing a glut of sugar, with more than 12.1 million tonnes in store as of the end of September, or a full six months of national consumption. Fears of dumping of sugar onto global markets have depressed sugar prices around the world and caused the near-collapse of production in marginal sugar-producing areas such as Western Australia.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

India nixes ethanol subsidies; E10 mandate still on track for October 2008

In India, the Agriculture and Food Minister, Sharad Pawar, said that the Government will not create a subsidy program for ethanol producers. E5 ethanol is mandatory throughout the country excepting Ja...

Indian Oil Company to become ethanol producer as 10 percent Indian ethanol target looms

In India, the Indian Oil Corporation said that it plans to become an ethanol producer, in response to the central government's indication that it would increase the ethanol blending mandate from five ...

More reports that India will not be ready for E10 transition in October 2008

In India, the Bureau of Indian Standards will release its E10 specification in March 2008, but moneycontrol.com reports that Indian oil companies are "unlikely" to have an adequate supply of ethanol f...

India scrambles for E10 compliant cars in wake of E10 mandate

In India, the India Times is reporting on a scramble by major automakers to design and deploy ethanol-compliant vehicles, with India moving to an E10 mandate in October. Maruti Suzuki said that it wou...

Bureau of Indian Standards backs India’s move to 10 percent ethanol blending in October

In India, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has endorsed the increase of the ethanol blending mandate from 5% to 10 percent in October. The Bureau will release its specification for E10 in March...

India to miss biofuels target by 40 percent; sugar blames oil, oil blames government

In India, government officials are admitting that the country is likely to reach a 3 percent biofuels target, compared to the national target of 5 percent. The country is scheduled to move to a 10 per...