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?
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.