India is rapidly increasing ethanol production with maize becoming the country’s largest feedstock for ethanol in 2026. Under the “India Maize Ethanol Boost”, maize-based ethanol production reached 182 crore litres during the first half of Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26. During the same period, India’s total ethanol supply crossed 515 crore litres, covering nearly 49% of the contracted target.

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Maize Leads India’s Ethanol Production

India produces ethanol mainly from sugarcane and grain-based feedstocks. From November 2025 to April 2026, grain-based distilleries supplied around 333 crore litres of ethanol. Among all grains, maize emerged as the biggest contributor.

Maize, also known as corn, belongs to the Poaceae grass family. It is widely used in food, animal feed, starch production, and industrial alcohol manufacturing. Earlier, sugarcane was the major source of ethanol production in India.

Why Maize Is Important for Ethanol

The growing focus on maize comes from its agricultural advantages. Maize has a shorter crop cycle compared to sugarcane and can be grown in different seasons across many Indian states.

Another major benefit is lower water use. Maize needs less irrigation than sugarcane, making it more suitable for regions facing water shortages. This supports India’s long-term clean fuel and energy goals.

India is also working towards its E20 blending target, which means mixing 20% ethanol with petrol. To achieve this target, the country needs a larger and more diverse supply of ethanol feedstocks.

Uttar Pradesh Expands Maize Cultivation

To support rising ethanol demand, the Uttar Pradesh government has set a target to increase maize cultivation to 11.3 lakh hectares during 2026-27.

Uttar Pradesh is one of India’s leading maize-producing states and has many grain-based distilleries. Industry data released by the All India Distillers’ Association showed that maize moved ahead of sugarcane in ethanol supply during ESY 2025-26.

India Maize Ethanol Boost Globally

Globally, ethanol production is also receiving strong policy support. The United States Environmental Protection Agency kept the conventional ethanol requirement at 15 billion gallons for 2026 and 2027 under its Renewable Fuel Standard.

The United States Treasury Department also proposed changes to the Clean Fuel Production Tax Credit in 2026. Under the proposal, non-aviation ethanol could receive tax credits of 1 dollar per gallon, while Sustainable Aviation Fuel may receive 1.75 dollars per gallon.

In the United States, corn remains the main feedstock for ethanol production, similar to India’s growing use of maize.