In Brazil, ethanol is made from sugar cane, one of the country’s most important agricultural products. For many years, the government subsidized the production of ethanol and required that most cars’ engines be adapted to run on it as a fuel. Economic liberalization during the 1990s led to a significant decline in the use of the fuel, however. In June of 1999, thousands of sugar-cane growers rallied in Brasillia, demanding that the government do more to support ethanol. But soaring sugar prices in 2000 made the government worry more about inflation. The required ethanol content of fuel was reduced by 20 percent.