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 ✓ UPSC's answer
Why the answer is (d)
• The United States is the world's largest ethanol producer (over 15 billion gallons a year, more than half the global total); Brazil is second with roughly 30% — so Statement I, which says Brazil produces more, is not correct.
• Statement II is correct: US ethanol is made overwhelmingly from corn (maize), whereas Brazilian ethanol is made from sugarcane, which gives a better energy balance.
• India, now the third-largest producer, uses sugarcane juice, molasses and increasingly maize and rice under its Ethanol Blending Programme (20% blending achieved in 2025).
• Hence Statement I is not correct but Statement II is correct, option (d).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II explains Statement I
- Statement I is wrong: the USA, not Brazil, is the larger producer.
- (b) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct but Statement II does not explain Statement…
- Statement I is wrong, so both cannot be correct.
- (c) Statement I is correct but Statement II is not correct
- It is Statement II that is correct and Statement I that is wrong.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025, held on 25 May 2025. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.