India's sugar producers crank up ethanol production

Mumbai-based Bajaj Hindusthan Ltd., India’s largest sugar producer, plans to more than double ethanol sales to meet the government’s alternative fuels target. India passed a law in May requiring gasoline to be mixed with 5% ethanol starting in November. Bajaj says it plans to triple its biofuel output, as raw sugar prices have fallen 41% from a 25-year high in February. The company has the capacity to produce 43.2 million liters of ethanol. It currently produces around 1.5 million tons of sugar annually. (November 10, 2006)