Sugar mills in India, the world's top consumer of the sweetener, is expected to churn out 24 million tonnes in 2012/13, down from 26 million tonnes in the previous year, but higher than about 22 million tonnes of local consumption.

On Oct. 1, 2012, when the current season began, carryover stocks from the previous season were at about 6.5 million tonnes.

Surplus output will help India export sugar for the third straight year.

Output between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 in the biggest sugar producing state of Maharashtra was at 2.91 million tonnes, followed by 1.91 million tonnes in Uttar Pradesh state, the Indian Sugar Mills Association said in statement.