Sugar Prices, Ethanol Production and India’s Growing Water Pressure

Sugar prices have gone up, partly because sugar production naturally changes from year to year.

India is also encouraging ethanol production to reduce the need to import crude oil.

Ethanol can be made from maize, rice, or sugarcane products.

Maize provides about 45% of the ethanol, while rice provides about 20–25%.

The remaining ethanol comes from sugar-based materials.

One tonne of maize produces more ethanol than one tonne of rice or sugarcane.

Because sugarcane is also used for ethanol, people are asking whether this could affect food supplies.

The article also raises concerns about growing pressure on India’s water resources.