New Delhi: Sugar output in India, the world's second-biggest producer, jumped 27% till November 15 due to a pick-up in cane crushing, keeping domestic supplies steady and prices under check during the peak festival season through Diwali.

Sugar production touched 9,84,000 tonnes since the start of the new marketing year on October 1, compared to 7,76,000 tonnes a year before, showed data released by the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) on Monday.

Karnataka accounted for 43% of the total output at 420,000 tonnes, up from 237,000 tonnes a year earlier.

However, ISMA maintains its forecast of an 8.4% drop in sugar output at 24 million tonnes for the 2012-13 due to poor monsoon rains.

Although sugar output crossed last year's level, 178 sugar mills have started their crushing operations in mid-November, compared with 215 a year earlier.

The reason is only 3 mills have started crushing in UP as against 43 a year before, ISMA said. UP sugar mills usually start cane crushing after Diwali. Higher production prevented a flare-up in the commodity's prices in times of the festival season following a steady rise until August on fears poor showers in June and July would hurt cane yield, especially in biggest producer Maharashtra. Wholesale sugar prices have remained unchanged.