India's ethanol blending push is linked to rising sugar prices and potential food cost increases, as sugarcane is diverted. Despite a raised support price and stock limits, scarcity is evident, prompting consideration of imports—the first in a decade. The author critiques current policy, suggesting adequacy plans failed and urging a comprehensive review of market interactions. They advocate pre-testing impacts via market models and incorporating demand patterns, including motorists' readiness for lower-ethanol blends. The program's wider economic repercussions and unintended casualties demand re-evaluation.