Don't stop ethanol: Punjab farmers warn rolling back E20 could hurt incomes
The political debate over E20 fuel has spilled into Punjab's agricultural sector, with farmer representatives expressing concern that growing opposition to the Centre's ethanol blending
The political debate over E20 fuel has spilled into Punjab's agricultural sector, with farmer representatives expressing concern that growing opposition to the Centre's ethanol blending programme could hurt maize and sugarcane growers who have increasingly benefited from the policy. The concerns come after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal raised questions over the rollout of E20 petrol during a " Townhall" on August 1. Kejriwal questioned the fuel's impact on older vehicles, fuel efficiency and consumer awareness, triggering a wider debate over the Centre's ethanol blending programme. Read Full Story While the discussion was largely focused on motorists and consumers, farmer groups in Punjab say any uncertainty surrounding the policy could directly affect crop prices and farm incomes. FARMERS LINK ETHANOL POLICY WITH BETTER CROP PRICES Punjab is among India's major sugarcane-producing states and has also encouraged maize cultivation in recent years as part of efforts to reduce dependence on water-intensive paddy cultivation. The Centre's ethanol blending programme has created additional demand for both crops, giving farmers an alternative market and supporting crop diversification.
Narinder Bhel, president of the Majha Zone Arthia Association, said farmers were worried that weakening the ethanol policy would directly affect the demand for maize and sugarcane. Bhel said political parties frequently speak about improving farmers' welfare, but opposing a policy that creates additional demand for agricultural produce sends a contradictory message. Identifying himself as both a farmer and someone associated with agricultural trade, he said he was unable to understand how rolling back the programme would benefit Punjab's farming community. He also expressed concern over campaigns claiming that E20 petrol damages vehicles or reduces mileage, saying such claims were creating uncertainty among farmers who had shifted towards maize cultivation because of rising ethanol demand. According to Bhel, many farmers invested in maize cultivation after the ethanol programme offered better returns. Any slowdown or reversal of the policy, he warned, could leave growers facing financial losses and falling crop prices. SMALL FARMERS SEEK POLICY CONTINUITY Farmers echoed similar concerns, saying the ethanol programme had significantly improved their earnings. Jagroop Singh, a farmer from Bhurli village, said maize prices had remained low until ethanol plants created fresh demand for the crop.
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