India is expected to have produced around 24.52 million tonnes (mt) of sugar during the first six months of the 2012-13 sugar marketing season that started in October.

This is down almost three per cent from the same period last year because of low recovery. With sugar production coming to an end in most parts of the country, the final output for 2012-13 is expected to be around 24.52 mt.

According to industry body Indian Sugar Mills Association (Isma), the final output has been marginally less because of 0.17 point drop in recovery. Recovery is the quantum of sugar produced from every quintal of cane crushed.

In 2012-13, sugar recovered from crushing was 10.09 per cent. This year again Maharashtra was the leading producing state, churning out around 7.97 mt of sugar by crushing 6.99 mt of sugarcane at 11.40 per cent reported recovery.

In Uttar Pradesh, production till date has been around 7.43 mt at 9.19 per cent reported recovery, Isma said. Karnataka has already closed crushing operations with 3.36 mt of sugar production as against of 3.72 mt produced last year.