Sugarcane output has dropped 50% to 24.24 lakh tones so far this season due to a delay in sugarcane crushing operations, especially in UP. The country has produced 24.24 lakh tones of sugar till mid Dec, which is about 50% less than last year. After a slow start, the 2013-14 sugarcane crushing season has been catching up fast. Sugar output in Maharashtra, dropped 35% so far.