New Delhi, 27 August (H.S.): Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala has raised concerns over the sharp increase in sugar prices, alleging that the price of sugar has risen from ₹45 per kg to ₹70-75 per kg ahead of the festive season. He claimed that the surge could impose an additional burden of around ₹36,000 crore on ordinary consumers over four months.

Congress leaders, addressing a press conference here, alleged that the government failed to address the possibility of a sugar shortage in time and has now decided to allow the duty-free import of 1 million tonnes of raw sugar on August 20. They claimed that it could take around 60-75 days for sugar to arrive from Brazil and subsequently be refined. As a result, they said, the imported sugar may reach the market only after the peak festive season.

Surjewala said the country’s average monthly sugar consumption is around 2.4 million tonnes, but during the four festive months from August to November, consumption rises to approximately 3 million tonnes per month. Total consumption during this period is therefore estimated at around 12 million tonnes. He claimed that if the increase of around ₹30 per kg in sugar prices persists, consumers would have to bear an additional expenditure of approximately ₹36,000 crore over the four-month period.

He said the opening sugar stock for 2025-26 was around 5 million tonnes, compared with 8 million tonnes in 2024-25. According to Surjewala, by the end of April, the government was aware of the possibility of a shortage because both production and opening stocks were lower, but it failed to take timely measures.

He also attributed the rise in sugar prices to the diversion of sugarcane towards ethanol production. He said that between November 2025 and July 2026, 32 per cent of the “sugarcane complex” was used for ethanol production. This, he claimed, affected the availability of sugar for consumers in the domestic market and contributed to the price increase.

Surjewala also raised the issue of the discontinuation of the subsidised sugar scheme through ration shops in 2017. He claimed that during the Congress-led government, around 400 million people were provided 500 grams of sugar per person per month at a subsidised rate of ₹13.50 per kg, with the government extending a subsidy of ₹18.50 per kg. According to him, the Modi government discontinued the arrangement in 2017.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar