Karnataka Jaggery Units Seek Permission to Produce Ethanol

25-Aug-2026 11:22 AM

Mysuru: The Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association has urged the government to allow local jaggery and khandsari units to start ethanol production. With sugar prices witnessing a sharp rise, the use of sugar for ethanol production is likely to decline. Granting permission to jaggery and khandsari units to produce ethanol would benefit all stakeholders.

The association president said sugar mills are earning substantial economic benefits from ethanol production, while sugarcane farmers continue to struggle to secure remunerative prices for their produce. The significant profits generated from ethanol production and trade should not remain confined to large sugar mills. The government should simplify regulations and permit producers to manufacture ethanol at their jaggery and khandsari units.

Karnataka is one of the major producers of jaggery and khandsari, while it ranks third in the country in sugar production. Similar permission should also be granted to jaggery and khandsari units in other major sugarcane-producing states, including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.