Indian ethanol blending seen reaching 8% due to COVID-19 gasoline demand impacts

In India, the Business Standard newspaper reports that with COVID-19 impacting fuel demand, the Indian sugar industry expects ethanol blending to be higher than expected at close to 8% compared to the expected 5%. While mills are now allowed to use B-heavy molasses as ethanol feedstock, C-heavy molasses will be allowed for export which is currently running at around $120 per metric ton. Already several key sugar producing states exported around 300,000 metric tons of molasses but until September 30 exports from Maharashtra have been banned. Now the ban will be lifted which should increase molasses exports from the state to 250,000 tons.