INDIA- BRAZIL TIE UP (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Brazil has recently initiated a collaborative effort with India, sharing technology to support its goal of achieving 20% ethanol blending for petrol by 2025-2026, and concurrently providing indigenous breeds to enhance productivity in the livestock and poultry sector.

Key Points

• Brazil will also take measures to correct some of the imbalance in the agricultural trade relationship by improving market access for Indian agriculture exports, including urea, to Brazil. 
• As India produces a lot of sugarcane, it’s easy for them to reach up to 30% because both countries already have technologies with a capacity of 27.5 that can go up to 30%.

Ethanol Blending Programme

• About: The Centre had “launched pilot projects wherein 5% ethanol-blended petrol was supplied to retail outlets”.
• Launched: In 2003 on a pilot basis and has been subsequently extended to 21 states and 4 Union Territories.
• Implemented by: Ministry or Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
• Aim: Reducing the country’s dependence on crude oil imports, cutting carbon emissions and boosting farmers’ incomes. 
• Targets: 10 percent ethanol blending in petrol by the end of 2022 and 20 percent blending by 2030.

Ethanol

• About: It is also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a clear, colourless, and flammable liquid. It is a type of alcohol.
• Produced by: Molasses, a byproduct of sugar manufacture.
• Uses: Production of solvents, cleaning agents, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and chemicals.