The Indian Chemical Council (ICC) has called for immediate suspension to ethanol blending programme in India.

In a letter to the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC), copies of which were also sent to several other ministries and also the Planning Commission, the ICC said, \"The chemical industry strongly reiterates that the ethanol blending programme in India should be suspended immediately to ensure adequate availability of ethanol for manufacture of chemicals.\"

According to the ICC, the production of ethanol in Brazil has fallen by an alarming 400 crore litres during the current year.

\"This has resulted in a deficit of ethanol in Brazil resulting in high inflation and a reduction in ethanol blending in Brazil. It is unfortunate that in this kind of a global ethanol environment, we continue to pursue ethanol blending in India,\" the ICC said.

The ICC also said rued that the ethanol-based chemical industry is facing closure in the country and is moving towards extinction.

Due to shortfall in availability of ethanol, because of its lower production and increased use in potable and fuel sector, there has been an acute shortage of ethanol in the country, the apex national body representing all branches of the chemical industry in India said.