Overview
- As of August 2025, ethanol blending saved more than ₹1.44 lakh crore in foreign exchange and substituted about 245 lakh tonnes of crude oil.
- The administered price of maize-based ethanol rose at a 11.7% CAGR between FY22 and FY25, creating a stronger price signal than for rice or molasses feedstocks.
- Maize yields climbed from roughly 2.56 to 3.78 tonnes per hectare as area and output grew at 6.68% and 8.77% CAGRs, while pulses declined and oilseeds grew modestly.
- Cropping shifts are most evident in Maharashtra and Karnataka, and the expected reduction in paddy acreage has not materialised.
- The Survey recommends a comprehensive roadmap to raise pulses and oilseed productivity, avoid feedstock-specific distortions, and plan ethanol-crop expansion to match regional resources.