India’s sugar output has fallen 50% to 24.24 lakh tonne in the 2013-14 season so far due to delays in cane-crushing operations, especially in Uttar Pradesh, industry body ISMA said.

The industry has pegged total sugar output for the ongoing 2013-14 season (October-September) at 250 lakh tonne, higher than the government estimate of 241 million tonne.

"The country has produced 24.24 lakh tonne of sugar till December 15, which is about 50% less than last year," Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said in a release.

After a slow start, the 2013-14 sugarcane crushing season has been picking up pace. About 426 mills were crushing till December 15 as against 457 mills in the year-ago period, it said.

Sugar output in Maharashtra, the country's leading sugar producing state, fell by 35% to 1.2 million tonne so far this season.

Mills in the state crushed about 1.28 million tonne of sugarcane. About 150 mills were in operation till December 15 as against 170 mills in the year-ago period.

Sugar output in Uttar Pradesh, the country's second biggest sugar producing state, fell 78% to 2.30 lakh tonne so far this season. In the state, 110 mills are operating now against 116 mills a year ago.

In Karnataka, sugar production was down 57% to 4.75 lakh tonne till December 15 this season. Fifty-five mills were in operation as against 56 in the year-ago period.