The Indian Sugar Mills Association has pegged the country’s sugar output in 2017-18 (Oct-Sep) at 25.1 million tonnes, up 23.6 per cent from 20.3 million tonnes produced in the previous year.

Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka — the three top sugar producing states — are expected to produce over 19.8 million tonnes of total sugar output during the next season, the sugar body said.

“These (figures) are based on estimates of yields ... sugar recoveries, which in turn, have been estimated on the basis of rainfall, water in reservoirs, field reports, interaction with farmers,” the sugar body said. ISMA also expects sugar production in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to rebound in the next season.