Grain-based feedstocks accounted for 71.4 per cent of India’s cumulative ethanol receipts of 987 crore litres by the end of September.

India's cumulative ethanol receipts reached 987 crore litres by the end of September in the current supply year, with grain-based feedstocks accounting for more than 71 per cent of the total, the All India Distillers' Association (AIDA) said on Thursday.

Receipts by oil marketing companies stood at 987 crore litres in Ethanol Supply Year 2025-26 (November-October), against a total contracted allocation of 1,197 crore litres, or 82.5 per cent fulfilment, AIDA said in a statement.

Grain-based feedstocks supplied 705 crore litres, or 71.4 per cent of receipts, against an allocation of 908 crore litres, a fulfilment rate of 77.6 per cent.

Maize was the largest single contributor at 413 crore litres, or over 41 per cent of total receipts, against an allocation of 614 crore litres.

Surplus rice from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) supplied 222 crore litres against an allocation of 233 crore litres, while damaged food grains supplied 70 crore litres, above their 60 crore-litre allocation.

Sugar-based feedstocks supplied 282 crore litres against an allocation of 289 crore litres, a fulfilment rate of 97.6 per cent.

Sugarcane juice accounted for 151 crore litres against an allocation of 166 crore litres. B-heavy molasses supplied 115 crore litres against 111 crore litres allocated, and C-heavy molasses supplied 16 crore litres against 12 crore litres allocated.

"Building a robust, multi-feedstock supply network is vital for long-term energy security," AIDA Deputy General Bharati Balaji said.

She said policy continuity and wider avenues for ethanol use, such as flex-fuel vehicles, sustainable aviation fuel and compressed biogas, would be essential to sustain investment and support agricultural value chains.

Published on October 15, 2026