The Story So Far: Retail and wholesale costs of sugar have risen by about 40%, in some States even as much as 50%, from the costs within the corrersponding interval of final yr. In eight States equivalent to Uttarakhand, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, the worth touched greater than ₹65 a kg. As on August 23, Odisha recorded the very best worth, ₹67.4 a kilogram, rising from ₹55 per week in the past, ₹50.78 a month in the past, and ₹46.89 on August 23, 2025.
Even because the Opposition raised the problem final week, the Union authorities has been unable to curb the worth rise. The Opposition even blamed the diversion of sugar cane for making ethanol as the rationale for the sharp improve. The farmers’ teams argued that the worth rise was artificially created by large merchants forward of the festive season. The federal government, in its response, mentioned it’s monitoring the scenario carefully, and cited as causes a mix of things, together with lower-than-expected home manufacturing, elevated demand forward of the festive season, weather-related harm to the sugar cane crop, tightening world sugar provides, and hypothesis and hoarding by some sections of the trade. The Union Commerce Ministry issued a notification permitting import of 10 lakh tonnes of sugar until October 31, 2026.
Printed – August 24, 2026 10:38 am IST
