Karnataka calling for oversight committee to solve challenges in supplying ethanol

In India, the Press Trust of India reports that the state of Karnataka is urging the central government to monitor the challenges suffered by the sugarcane-based ethanol industry regarding the national blending program. There have been complaints by mills that oil marketing companies are favoring corn-based ethanol over sugarcane and rice feedstocks. The Karnataka sugar minister also wants long-term ethanol pricing established to provide assurances for future investments. The requested oversight is suggested to be in the form of a monitoring team made up of the national food ministry, state cane commissioners, OMCs and NABARD.