Sugar prices had surged to nearly Rs 75/kg in mid-Aug, hurting households as well as Bengal’s sweet industry
Kolkata: Bengal agriculture marketing minister Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday said the retail price of sugar could fall to around Rs 50/kg ahead of the festive season, even as onion prices are expected to soften further. Sugar prices had surged to nearly Rs 75/kg in mid-Aug, hurting households as well as Bengal’s sweet industry. Following a series of interventions, the retail price eased to around Rs 60/kg on Tuesday. Ghosh also said the govt was setting up 10 onion storage facilities in North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad and Malda to preserve Bengal’s own Sukh Sagar variety during the lean Aug-Nov period.
We told them categorically that sugar prices must come down. Sweets are an essential part of our festivities and we cannot leave a sour taste in people’s mouths,” Ghosh said. “After extensive discussions with sugar mills, traders and market representatives, we are confident that sugar prices can be brought down to an affordable range,” agriculture marketing principal secretary Abhinav Chandra said. Ghosh said he would also visit north Bengal to review supply chains and price movements. “We want people in the hills and north Bengal to get the same price protection and benefits that consumers in Kolkata are getting,” he said.
“We have held a series of meetings with sugar mills in other states, the Posta Merchants’ Association and wholesalers.