More than a dozen mills in key sugar producing states like Uttar Pradesh have started crushing operations this year, a Food Ministry official said today. 

The government has projected higher sugar output at around 25 million tonnes for the current 2017-18 season (October-September), as against 20.3 million tonnes in the last year. 

"Some mills have commenced crushing operations in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It will pick up in the coming days," the official told PTI. 

Around three mills in Uttar Pradesh, the top sugar producer in the country, have started crushing of sugarcane from this week, he said. 

In Karnataka, 11 mills are operating, while two mills inTamil Nadu as of now. Mills in Maharashtra, the second biggest sugar producer, will start operations from November 1, he added. 

More than 512 mills are likely to operate this year as there is good sugarcane output owing to better rains. Last year, only 490 mills were able to operate because of tight supply of cane, the official added. 
 

There are about 700 mills in the country, of which 525 are operational and half of them are private-owned and the rest are cooperatives.