Key Highlights
- Maize accounted for roughly 182 crore litres of ethanol, making it the single largest feedstock in the first half of ESY 2025‑26.
- Cumulative ethanol dispatches reached about 515 crore litres, representing 49 % of the annual contracted volume.
- Seasonal grains such as surplus rice and damaged food grains contributed 125 crore and 26 crore litres respectively.
- Sugarcane, while still substantial, fell to the second tier with 182 crore litres, about 62 % of its contracted quota.
- Maize’s year‑round availability and lower water demand are cited as strategic advantages for meeting higher blending targets.
Detailed Insights
The All India Distillers Association (AIDA) compiled industry data that reveal a decisive shift in the composition of India’s ethanol feedstock mix. During the first six months of the Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025‑26, maize supplied approximately 182 crore litres, surpassing all other grain‑based sources. Surplus rice and other excess grains added another 125 crore litres, while damaged grains contributed about 26 crore litres.
Total ethanol supplied in this period amounted to roughly 515 crore litres, against a contractual target of 1,059 crore litres for the full year. Monthly deliveries remained robust, with 102 crore litres in December 2025, 95 crore litres in March 2026, and 92 crore litres in April 2026, underscoring both production capacity and supply‑chain resilience.
Experts attribute maize’s ascendancy to its predictable harvest calendar, which mitigates the seasonal volatility typical of sugarcane‑linked operations. Moreover, maize’s lower irrigation requirements make it a more sustainable option in water‑scarce regions, aligning with India’s ambition to exceed the E20 blending mandate.
Despite maize’s lead, sugarcane continues to play a pivotal role, delivering 182 crore litres—split between sugarcane juice (130 crore litres), B‑heavy molasses (45 crore litres), and C‑heavy molasses (7 crore litres). Its contribution still accounts for roughly 62 % of the sugarcane‑specific contractual volume.