Major sugar producing States — Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka — are expected to see mills diverting a higher quantity of the commodity for ethanol production this season (October 2020 to September 2021) compared with the previous year.

A press release from the Indian Sugar Mills’ Association (ISMA) said that the sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh are estimated to divert 6.74 lakh tonnes of sugar, by way of B heavy molasses and sugarcane juice for ethanol production this season as against 3.70 lakh tonnes in 2019-2020.

Mills in Maharashtra are expected to divert about 6.55 lakh tonnes of sugar for ethanol production compared to 1.42 lakh tonnes in 2019-2020.

In Karnataka, the mills are expected to divert 5.41 lakh tonnes as against 2.42 lakh tonnes last season.