The reality, at least for Maharashtra’s sugar mills, is markedly different: ethanol has become more of a problem than a solution. In March 2026, during the Budget session of the Maharashtra legislature, the crisis facing cooperative sugar mills was taken up for special discussion in the Legislative Council. The Western India Sugar Mills Association has separately met the Union Petroleum Minister seeking a higher ethanol quota for sugar mills. Should that happen, the crisis for sugar mills would deepen further into the next sugarcane season, beginning in October 2026. Also Read | The hidden costs of ethanol blendingAlso Read | Maharashtra’s sugar mills are running out of time