Consider the following statements:
- Statement-I: Of the two major ethanol producers in the world, i.e., Brazil and the United States of America, the former produces more ethanol than the latter.
- Statement-II: Unlike in the United States of America where corn is the principal feedstock for ethanol production, sugarcane is the principal feedstock for ethanol production in Brazil.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) Statement I is not correct but Statement II is correct
Statement I is wrong because the United States, not Brazil, is the world's largest ethanol producer. Statement II is correct: corn is the main feedstock in the United States and sugarcane in Brazil.
- ✗ Statement-I The United States produced over 16 billion gallons of ethanol in 2024; the same data table puts Brazil at roughly 9 billion gallons, so Brazil is second.
- ✓ Statement-II Most US ethanol is made from corn, while Brazil mainly uses sugarcane.
Remember · The US is the top ethanol producer (mostly from corn); Brazil is second (mainly from sugarcane). Together they make about 80 per cent of the world's ethanol.
Sources
- US Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center: Global Ethanol Production by Country or Region ↗ “The United States is the world's largest producer of ethanol, having produced over 16 billion gallons in 2024. … The vast majority of U.S. ethanol is produced from corn, while Brazil primarily uses sugarcane.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·