New Delhi: The government assured Parliament on Wednesday that maize and rice — two of the largest feedstocks used for ethanol production — are sufficiently available without compromising food and feed security. In a written reply to a question raised in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya said that surplus rice from the Food Corporation of India (FCI), which is the third-largest source for ethanol output, is diverted only when stocks are available in excess after maintaining buffer norms and meeting the requirements of the Targeted Public Distribution System (PDS) and other welfare schemes.
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She also stated that maize — now the biggest feedstock for ethanol — remains sufficiently available in the country even after being diverted to ethanol distilleries.
According to the reply, FCI allocated 52 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of rice each for the Ethanol Supply Years (ESY) 2024–25 and 2025–26. Of this, ethanol distilleries lifted 31.83 LMT in ESY 2024–25, while 4.58 LMT had been lifted in ESY 2025–26 up to December 11, 2025.
The minister said FCI sells only excess stocks from the central pool under the Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) after meeting food security obligations, and accumulated surplus rice is then allocated as feedstock for ethanol production.
Maize has emerged as the largest feedstock for ethanol production, the government told Parliament. During ESY 2024–25, 477.8 crore litres of maize-based ethanol supply corresponds to maize utilisation of 125.75 LMT, while for ESY 2025–26, 478 crore litres of maize-based ethanol supply entails utilisation of 125.78 LMT.
Citing final estimates for 2024–25, the minister said maize production has risen substantially to about 434 LMT, and the available quantity is sufficient to meet the requirements of ethanol production, the poultry sector and other uses. To maintain feed availability, the poultry feed industry is also adopting alternative domestically available ingredients such as rice bran, broken rice, bajra and wheat offal.
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The government said it accords the highest priority to food security and regularly monitors foodgrain availability while maintaining buffer stocks of wheat and rice. It is also conducting a study to assess the feasibility of sweet sorghum as an alternative feedstock to diversify the ethanol feedstock base, the minister added.