---

📌 The Question:
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?

(a) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II explains Statement I
(b) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct but Statement II does not explain Statement I
(c) Statement I is correct but Statement II is not correct
(d) Statement I is not correct but Statement II is correct

---

✅ Correct Answer: (d)

---

🔍 Classroom Explanation:

• Statement I is NOT correct ❌
  The United States is the world’s largest ethanol producer, significantly ahead of Brazil.
  • USA (≈ 16+ billion gallons/year)
  • Brazil (≈ 8–9 billion gallons/year)
    Together, they account for nearly 80% of global ethanol production, but the USA clearly leads.
• Statement II is correct ✅
  • USA: Ethanol is primarily produced from corn
  • Brazil: Ethanol is primarily produced from sugarcane, which has a higher energy return and lower lifecycle emissions

👉 Therefore, Statement I is incorrect, but Statement II is correct.

---

🧠 Curiosity Raiser:
Why does Brazil’s ethanol have a lower carbon footprint than U.S. ethanol? Because sugarcane ethanol produces its own energy from bagasse during processing.

---

📚 Enrich Notes (Prelims Edge):

• USA Ethanol: Corn-based, higher water and fertilizer input
• Brazil Ethanol: Sugarcane-based, surplus electricity from bagasse
• Brazil pioneered flex-fuel vehicles, allowing ethanol-petrol blending up to E100
• Key relevance for India’s Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) comparisons

---

🕊️ IAS Monk Whisper:
“The feedstock decides not just fuel, but the future footprint of energy.”