‘Poor bear the impact’: Sugar prices soar in India, souring festive season
Summary
Sugar prices in India have risen sharply this year due to lower sugar production caused by less sugarcane planting, lower rainfall from El Nino, and other factors. This increase is affecting the cost of sweets, which are important for festival celebrations like Diwali, making it harder for people to afford traditional treats.Key Facts
- Sugar prices reached up to 75 rupees ($0.79) per kilogram in some markets, almost double the price from September 2025.
- India’s festival season, including Diwali, creates high demand for sweets that contain 30-60% sugar by weight.
- India is the world’s largest consumer and second-largest producer of sugar.
- Expected sugar production for 2025-26 is about 30.6 million tonnes, 11% less than earlier estimates.
- The sugar shortage is mainly due to less sugarcane planting, bad weather from El Nino, and some farmers switching to other crops.
- The government says hoarding has worsened the sugar shortage.
- Farmers also say high labor costs and low profits from sugarcane farming reduce their incentive to grow it.
- The government denies that diverting sugarcane to ethanol production is causing the price rise.
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