Tamil Nadu sugar mills want 600,000 tonnes from mills in Uttar Pradesh for supply in the coming season but want central government help on the transport cost. Sugar output in Tamil Nadu has been declining for some years. With the deficient rain this season for the fourth year in a row, mills in Tamil Nadu are estimating only 550,000 or 650,000 tonnes of output for 2017-18, as against 2.4 million tonnes in 2011-12. In sugar season 2016-17, the state reported output at 1.05 MT, almost equivalent to its annual consumption. The UP mills agreed, but were uncomfortable with the transportation cost of Rs 3-3.5 a kg. Mills in Tamil Nadu cannot take this burden; it would inflate prices in the state. Therefore, seek involvement of Isma.