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?
ABoth Statement I and Statement II correct and Statement II explains Statement I
BBoth Statement I and Statement II are correct but Statement II does not explain Statement I
CStatement I is correct but Statement II is not correct
DStatement I is not correct but Statement II is correct
Correct Answer: D
Explanation
Ethanol production globally is concentrated in
USA and Brazil, but they differ in both
scale of production and
type of feedstock used.
Statement I is incorrect. The
United States is the largest ethanol producer in the world, accounting for a dominant share of global output.
Brazil is the second-largest producer, not the first, making the statement factually incorrect.
Statement II is correct. The two countries use different primary raw materials—
corn in the USA and
sugarcane in Brazil. Sugarcane-based ethanol is generally considered
more energy-efficient and has a
lower carbon footprint compared to corn-based ethanol.
Thus, the correct conclusion is that
Statement I is not correct but Statement II is correct.