Indian sugar industry seeking license waiver to ramp up ethanol production quicker

In India, the Financial Express newspaper reports that the domestic sugar industry is pleading with the central government to have regulations established by the National Green Tribunal requiring certain licenses for ethanol producers be eased in order to facilitate to a quick ramp up in production. The national government is pushing for sugar mills to contribute significantly towards achieving the 10% ethanol blending mandate while mills are in financial trouble due to ever-rising cane prices and low sugar prices, so are looking to ethanol as a way out. The industry says the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization licenses required by the NGT for ethanol production inhibits this quick ramp up.