Thailand to use more cassava to produce ethanol

Due to a serious shortage of molasses in the market, Pornchai Rujiprapa, permanent secretary to Thailand’s Ministry of Energy, said that the ministry is expediting plans to increase the production of ethanol from cassava. The Ministry of Commerce has been requested to release 280,000 tons of cassava flour for sale to interested ethanol producers. Currently, three cassava-based ethanol producers are interested in buying cassava flour from the government. They have a combined ethanol production capacity of 550,000 liters per day. (August 25, 2009)