Sugar-free ethanol? Oil companies change recipe, here’s what’s next

 The government’s recent decision to exclude sugar-based raw materials from its ethanol procurement process marks a strategic shift aimed at boosting domestic sugar availability. By allowing oil marketing companies to source ethanol from grains and C-heavy molasses, the government addresses rising sugar prices linked to adverse weather. This procurement adjustment seeks to maintain the ethanol blending program while balancing local consumption and reducing reliance on oil imports. The government’s recent decision to exclude sugar-based raw materials from its ethanol procurement process marks a strategic shift aimed at boosting domestic sugar availability. By allowing oil marketing companies to source ethanol from grains and C-heavy molasses, the government addresses rising sugar prices linked to adverse weather. This procurement adjustment seeks to maintain the ethanol blending program while balancing local consumption and reducing reliance on oil imports.