By Thomas Kutty Abraham Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- India, the biggest sugar consumer, may produce as much as 23 million to 24 million metric tons in the 2010-11 season, as farmers increase planting to benefit from record prices, according to the Indian Sugar Mills Association. Production may total 22 million tons on a “conservative basis,” M.N. Rao, deputy director general of the association, said in an interview at an industry conference in Dubai today. Output this season may be 15.5 million tons to 16 million tons, he said, reiterating a previous forecast by the New Delhi- based association. Production won’t fall below last year’s 14.7 million tons, he said. Maharashtra state, the biggest producer, will produce 5.1 million tons as sucrose recovery improves, and output in the southern Karnataka state will exceed 2 million tons, compared with 1.7 million tons, he said. “A major portion of the plant crop is yet to be crushed, and there the recovery tends to be higher,” he said. Output in the 2009-10 season that started Oct. 1 “is lower so far but improved recovery in Karnataka and Maharashtra and will ensure production picks up in the coming months.” To contact the reporter on this story: Thomas Kutty Abraham in Dubai at tabraham4@bloomberg.net

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