MUMBAI: Indian mills produced 26.18 million metric tons of sugar between October 1 and March 15, up 10.4% from the previous year, as higher output from the country’s top three producing states lifted production, a leading industry body said on Monday. Sugar production in the western state of Maharashtra increased to 9.85 million tons from 7.86 million tons, while neighbouring Karnataka saw a 17.1% jump to 4.58 million tons, the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories said. In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, production rose marginally to 8.15 million tons from 8.1 million tons, the federation said in a statement. So far, 333 of the 533 sugar mills that began the season have closed operations, it added. Indian sugar trade body cuts production estimate on lower yields India is likely to produce 28.3 million tons of sugar in the current season ending in September, down from an earlier estimate of 29.6 million tons, the All India Sugar Trade Association (AISTA) said earlier this month. Mills exported 315,577 tons of sugar between October and February, mainly to the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Tanzania and Sri Lanka, the AISTA said in a statement on Monday. India has allowed the export of 2 million tons of sugar in the current marketing year ending in September.