Union Minister Pralhad Joshi in a frame from the video he shared on X on November 7, 2026. Image: Video grab
Bengaluru: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has defended the 20% ethanol blending in petrol now in force across the country, saying it is in line with the national ethanol blending policy and within its accepted range of 19% to 21%. He accused the Congress and Rahul Gandhi of taking an anti-farmer stand by opposing it.
Joshi said on Saturday evening that the blending level has been accepted globally by the automobile industry. His remarks come as Karnataka has become the centre of a dispute over how much ethanol is actually present in the petrol sold at fuel stations in the state.
Joshi said ethanol production would bring a very large benefit to sugarcane growers. He added that there is a rule requiring sugar factories to give farmers first priority when making payments.
He described ethanol blending as a major step towards reducing the country’s dependence on crude oil imported from abroad and making India self-reliant.
Joshi said the opposition and agitations by the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi on the ethanol issue reflected an anti-farmer attitude.
On November 6, Karnataka’s Legal Metrology Department said 11 of the 14 petrol samples listed in its test results contained more than 20% ethanol, with the highest reading of 31.2% in an IOCL sample. The state sought disclosure, regulatory action and compensation for consumers after presenting those findings.
Ethanol and sugarcane pricing have also been a political issue in the state. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has urged the Centre to raise the sugar floor price and review its ethanol policy.
The Centre has previously rejected concerns about E20 fuel, with the government saying in July that the fuel is globally tested and scientifically validated.
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