LUCKNOW, Oct. 30 -- The Uttar Pradesh Molasses Policy 2025-26 has raised the quarterly molasses supply target for sugar mills from 19% to 25%, making it mandatory for mills to release one-fourth of their reserved molasses every quarter for country liquor production. For the fiscal year 2024-25, the state government had allocated 19% of molasses. The policy aims to ensure a steady supply of raw material to distilleries that contribute nearly 48.5% of the state's excise revenue, officials said. The period from November 1 of each year to October 31 of the following year is considered the molasses year. The policy was formulated under the guidance of minister of state (Independent Charge) for excise and prohibition Nitin Agarwal. Officials said the move is intended to ensure the availability of quality and standardised legal country liquor at affordable prices and to curb the consumption of illicit liquor, which often leads to loss of lives. For the molasses year 2025-26, the requirement for country liquor production has been estimated at 105.47 lakh cusecs in terms of B-heavy molasses. Based on an estimated combined production of 585.9 lakh cusecs of B-heavy and C-heavy molasses, an adequate reserve will be maintained to meet the industry's needs. The extraction ratio between reserved and unreserved molasses has been determined at 1:4.56. Sugar mill groups will have to ensure that at least 8% of their total annual reserved molasses is supplied at the end of each month, and 25% is released in each quarter, the policy stated. Molasses allottees must supply or lift the molasses within 30 days of receiving lifting permission through the official portal. Failure to comply may result in the Molasses Controller imposing a partial or complete ban on unreserved molasses supply. Similarly, distilleries that fail to lift their allocated molasses within the stipulated timeframe will face action under relevant excise rules. Export of molasses to other states or countries will be permitted only if sufficient quantities remain available to meet the state's own demand....