As sugar prices started to rise due to estimates of lower production of sugarcane in Maharashtra and Karnataka, the Centre capped diversion of sugarcane juice for ethanol at 1.7 million tonnes in the ethanol supply year of November-October 2024. Sugar production till end of December in the current sugar season (2023-24) reached 11.18 million tonnes compared with 12.12 million tonnes for the same period in the previous year, according to Indian Sugar Mills Association, the industry body of private sugar mills, which has now rebranded itself to Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association.