The northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has become the country’s leading ethanol producer with an output of 560 million litres in 2015, The Times of India reported, citing recent data by the petroleum ministry.
Uttar Pradesh beat Maharashtra, which produced 520 million litres, for the top spot. Together the two states represented almost 67% of India’s total annual ethanol production of about 1.61 billion litres, according to the article. Next came Karnataka with 250 million litres, Andhra with 85 million litres, Gujarat with 80 million litres and Tamil Nadu with 76 million litres.
The jump in Uttar Pradesh’s ethanol production was attributed largely to its sugar industry, with sugar mills diverting cane juice for making the green fuel in the face a drop of raw sugar prices last year.
There are 61 distilleries in the state, 36 of which are attached to sugar mills, the newspaper notes.
Provided by SeeNews exclusively for Essentica.
