New Delhi, August 4: A delegation from the All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC) met with Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday. The farmers expressed that ethanol presents a significant opportunity for the agricultural sector, provided that its policy is farmer-centric and ensures that the benefits reach the farmers directly.
The minister reassured the farmer leaders that the central government firmly believes that the benefits of the ethanol program should extend from the farm to the fuel tank, with the majority of the advantages favoring farmers.
He stated that ethanol will not only enhance the country’s energy security but also help increase farmers’ incomes.
The delegation included farmer leaders from Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and other regions of the country.
According to an official statement, the meeting addressed various issues, including ethanol, farmers’ income, Minimum Support Price (MSP), agricultural markets, and national agricultural policy. The farmers clearly indicated their support for ethanol but emphasized that the real benefits should reach them, rather than being limited to companies or intermediaries.
During the meeting, farmer leaders remarked, “Ethanol production will not only keep farm yields confined to the markets but will also reach petrol pumps and the energy market. This will create a new and robust market for farmers. When ethanol is produced from sugarcane, corn, rice, and other crops, farmers will find more buyers, reducing the problems of crop spoilage and storage.”
The farmers reiterated their full support for ethanol production. They stressed the importance of ensuring profitable prices for all crops, whether corn or sugarcane.
Farmer representatives expressed their desire for the ethanol policy to create new opportunities for farming, rather than becoming a new concern for farmers.
Several farmer leaders pointed out that misinformation is being spread on social media and other platforms, suggesting that ethanol harms vehicles or negatively impacts farmers’ interests.
Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured the farmers that the policy would be periodically reviewed to maintain a balance between the prices and demand for raw materials like corn, rice, and sugarcane.
He stated, “All decisions will be made with farmers’ interests in mind, prioritizing the benefits for corn farmers. Misconceptions based on scientific studies and technical reports regarding ethanol will be addressed, and fact-based dialogue with farmers will be promoted.”
The minister emphasized that the doors of the Agriculture Ministry are always open for farmers, as they are not adversaries of the government but partners in policy-making.
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