New Delhi, Dec 18 : Sugar production in the country declined by 10.7 per cent to 7.4 million metric tonnes during the current season so far (till Dec 15) as several mills in Maharashtra and Karnataka started operations a fortnight after the scheduled date of the start of the crushing season from Oct1, according Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA). The sugar output in Maharashtra's dropped to 2.44 million tons from 3.3 million tons compared to the same period last year, while Karnataka's production fell 11.7 per cent to 1.7 million tons. However, sugar production in Uttar Pradesh increased by 9 per cent to 2.2 million tons during the current season as mills started their operations early. The government has eased the ban on diverting sugarcane juice for the production of ethyl alcohol to allow mills to divert up to 1.7 million tons of sugar for the purpose so that their profitability is not hit and sugarcane farmers are paid in time. /IANS