ARTICLE 2 #Biofuel Policy

Mumbai, July 23, 2025 — In a landmark shift for Maharashtra’s biofuel policy, the state government has issued an order permitting distilleries to use food grains such as maize and rice (in addition to sugarcane and molasses) for ethanol production — under a dual‑feed mechanism — for blending into petrol. The directive comes from the state home department and includes a key restriction: ethanol produced from these grains must not be diverted for liquor production.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick criticized India’s trade barriers, asking rhetorically: “Why won’t 1.4 billion people buy one bushel of U.S. corn?” India imposes a 15% tariff on maize imports up to 0.5 million tonnes; beyond that, a high 50% duty kicks in.