INDIA'SSUGARPRODUCTION dropped by 22%to nearly 233 lakh tonne in the first half of the current marketing year ending september on lower cane production, industry body Isma said onWednesday. Sugar marketing year runs from October to September. The country produced over 330 lakh tonne of sugar in 2018-19 but output is estimated to decline to 260 lakh tonne in 2019-20. “232.74lakhtonneofsugar have been produced till 31st March 2020 as against 296.82 lakh tonne produced last year by 31stMarch 2019,about 64.08 lakh tonne less,” Indian Sugar Mills Association (Isma)said in a statement. The association pointed out that nationwide lockdown had initially disrupted some movement of sugar due to lack of availability of trucks, but sugar dispatches have picked up in the last 4-5 days after the government intervention to smoothen the supply chain. Isma assured that there is enough sugar with the sugarmills, and therefore, there will not be any problem of availability of this essential food item to the consumers. Wherever there is any availability of sugarcane, the sugar mills are making all efforts to ensure that the farmers do not face any problem, and the mills in those areas are operating, the statement said.“During the initial couple of days of the lockdown, there was concern about smooth availability of important inputs like lime, sulphur, bags, phosphoric acid etc. Availability of these inputs has since been assured by the government and the suppliers therein and normal supplies have been restored,” it added.