GOI Restricts Ethanol Imports to Non-Fuel Use Only India announced its new biofuels policy in June 2018, which specifies that only indigenous suppliers using domestic raw materials (e.g., cane juice, B heavy or C grade molasses, and grains unfit for human consumption) to produce ethanol can supply it for blending purposes to the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). Until recently, ethanol imports were permitted under “free” category, and standalone distilleries unable to buy molasses and/or low grade ethanol could purchase U.S. ethanol to reprocess, dehydrate and sell to the industrial users. On 21 August 2018, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Government of India (GOI) imposed restrictions on imports of ethyl alcoho...