Indias sugar production is estimated to touch 24.6 million tonnes in 2012-13 marketing season ending September 30,higher by 3 lakh tonnes from the previous estimate.The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA ) in a statement said that 21.05 million tonnes of sugar have been produced in the current season up to March 15,down 1% from the previous year.Owing to lower cane supply,many of the sugar mills,largely in Maharashtra,followed by Karnataka have started closing their operations,it said.The number of mills still operating as on March 15,2013 has come down to 390 from 520.The all India average recovery rate of 10.04% is lower by 0.1 point than last year.Around 210 million tonnnes of sugarcane has been crushed till March 15,2013 about the same as a year ago.Second-largest sugar producer,Uttar Pradesh has produced 5.9 million tonnes till March 15 against 6.04 million tonnes the previous year with over 119 operational mills.The recovery rate was 9.05% compared to 8.95% last year.Similarly,the production from Maharashtra slowed down and for the first time in the season,the actual production is lower than last year at 7.23 million tonnes.The recovery was also lower at 11.23% compared to 11.44% last year.The southern states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have also reported lower production of 3.18 and 0.92 million tones,respectively.