India targets year-round ethanol feedstock via sugarcane-maize intercropping

India's agricultural research institute has developed a sugarcane-maize intercropping system that could provide year-round feedstock for ethanol production while boosting farmer incomes and addressing supply constraints as the country expands biofuel blending beyond its 20% target.

The ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research introduced the intercropping model under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare's Enhancement of Maize Production in the Catchment Area of Ethanol Industries project, targeting sugarcane growers who receive income only once annually after a 10-15 month growing cycle.

Pilot projects on 50 acres in Solapur, Maharashtra, and Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, recorded a 28% increase in sugarcane-equivalent yield along with an additional 3.5-5 mt/ha of maize, generating extra income of Rupee 50,000-100,000 ($600-$1,200) per hectare for farmers, ICAR-IIMR said July 13.

The model leverages sugarcane's slow initial growth phase to cultivate short-duration maize hybrids of about 100 days, allowing both crops to grow simultaneously using nearly identical water, fertilizer and crop protection inputs, the institute said.

Maize has emerged as the largest feedstock for ethanol production, accounting for 47% of supplies to oil marketing companies in the 2024-25 supply year and maintaining a 36% share in the current year, reflecting a shift from traditional sugarcane-based production, Ashwini Srivastava, joint secretary at the Department of Food & Public Distribution, said at the GEMA Ethanol Conclave 2026 in New Delhi July 10.

Feedstock security

The intercropping system addresses two constraints in India's ethanol program: limited income opportunities for sugarcane farmers and seasonal feedstock availability for distilleries. Sugar mills currently operate for only three to five months annually, restricting ethanol production despite sugarcane accounting for 30%-35% of India's ethanol requirement.

ICAR-IIMR estimated that about 1.5 million hectares, or nearly half of India's 5.4 million hectares of planted sugarcane area, could adopt the model. At that scale, the system could produce 4 million-6 million mt of maize annually, providing feedstock for nearly 500 sugarcane-based ethanol distilleries across the country.

The institute refined cultivation practices by maintaining a 33%-50% maize plant density, applying additional urea top dressing, and removing maize tops at the brown husk stage. These measures improved sunlight penetration for sugarcane, produced green fodder and enabled better drying of maize cobs.

The cost of maize cultivation under the intercropping system was nearly 75% lower than growing maize as a stand-alone crop, while also improving resource efficiency, reducing input costs and supporting soil health, ICAR-IIMR said.

Sugarcane is cultivated primarily in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Farmers in Solapur who demonstrated the intercropping model reported quicker cash flow, reduced production risks and higher profitability, the institute said.

India's ethanol production capacity increased nearly fivefold to about 20 billion liters in 2026 from 4.21 billion liters in 2013-14, supporting the blending program's expansion.

Rising corn production

India's corn production has surged to 55 million mt from 22 million mt over the past decade, while productivity has increased to 4.1 mt/hectare from 2.3 mt/hectare, according to Shankar Lal Jat, senior scientist at ICAR-Indian Institute of Corn Research.

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed the Asian fuel ethanol marker unchanged day over day at $616.33/cubic meter July 10.

The industrial-grade B ethanol price was assessed unchanged day over day at $609/cubic meter CFR Ulsan July 10.