Gadkari Pushes Sugar Mills Beyond Sugar

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has urged sugar mills to reduce their dependence on sugar and diversify into ethanol, compressed biogas (CBG), sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other value-added products.
Speaking at the NFCSF efficiency awards, Gadkari said global sugar surpluses can affect prices, making diversification essential for the long-term viability of the industry and better farmer incomes.

He highlighted the potential of using bagasse, paddy straw, bamboo and Napier grass to produce CBG and other fuels. Of 1,908 CBG plants registered in India, 132 are currently operational, he said. He also pointed to SAF production from agricultural waste at Indian Oil’s Panipat facility and bamboo-based ethanol production in Assam.
Gadkari cited opportunities to extract higher value from sugar-mill by-products such as press mud and wax, with sugarcane wax reportedly fetching ₹300–350 per kg for cosmetic applications.

He also highlighted 100% ethanol-capable flex-fuel vehicles, electric transport for sugarcane, AI, drones, nano fertilisers and carbon-to-value technologies as areas that can reduce costs and create new income streams.
According to Gadkari, maize prices in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh rose from around ₹1,800 to ₹2,600 per quintal after maize-based ethanol production was permitted, benefiting farmers.
He said the future of agriculture depends on turning “waste to wealth” and “knowledge to wealth”, enabling farmers to become energy producers while creating jobs and reducing fossil-fuel imports.