New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS): The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) on Tuesday said sugar production in the country till November 30 was 39.51 lakh tonnes - 11.69 lakh tonnes more than that during the corresponding period last year.

"As compared to 79 per cent higher sugar production till November 15 vis-a-vis on the same date in previous year, the gap has come down to 42 per cent at the end of November 2017," as per a release by the association.

ISMA, which represents private sugar mills, said 443 sugar mills were crushing sugarcane on November 30 while the number was 393 last year.

It said 170 operational sugar mills in Maharashtra had produced 14.90 lakh tonnes as compared to 9.42 lakh tonnes by 142 mills in the corresponding period last year.

In the case of Uttar Pradesh, 110 sugar mills had produced 13.59 lakh tonnes till November 30 when 103 sugar mills had produced 8.48 lakh tonnes during the same period last year.

In Karanataka and Gujarat, sugar production on November had touched 6.82 lakh tonnes and 1.8 lakh tonnes in November-end, respectively.

Sugar season 2017-18 had started with an opening balance of around 38.76 lakh tonnes --lowest ever in the last several years.

"With an anticipated normal sugar production of about 251 lakh tonnes and imports of about 2.85 lakh tonnes (of whites equivalent), the total availability of sugar in the current season is estimated at 292.61 lakh tonnes," the release said.