NEW DELHI: India's sugar production is likely to be 7% less than last year and will drop below consumption levels for the first time in seven years, the apex body of sugar millers said on Wednesday.

However, it said this will not result in any shortage to meet the domestic demand as there are enough carry-forward stocks.

According to estimates released by Indian Sugar Mills Association, India could produce 23.37 million tonnes sugar in 2016-17 against 25.1 million tonnes of the sweetener output reported in the previous year, primarily because of less cane acreage in Maharashtra.