What is the current price of sugar per kilogram?

The current price of sugar is ₹ 53 per kilogram.

Why did the government reduce the stock limit for sugar dealers?

The government reduced the stock limit for dealers due to concerns over hoarding and speculative trading.

What cultural significance does sugar have in India?

Sugar is deeply embedded in Indian culture and is significant during celebrations, births, and festivals.

What measures is the government taking to ensure sugar supplies?

The government is allowing duty-free raw sugar imports, conducting stock checks, and tightening limits on how much sugar dealers can hold.

Sugar prices down but govt remains cautious, keeps close watch on market

On Oct 1, the govt tightened the limits further, allowing dealers to hold no more than 1,000 quintals and for a maximum of 15 days from Oct 15 to Nov 30

Updated on: Oct 5, 2026, 07:38:59 IST

By Pallavi Singhal

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Sugar Price Changes

Sugar prices have come down from its August peak of ₹65 per kilogram to the current ₹53 per kilogram, but the government continues to keep a close watch on the market.

Retail sugar was around ₹46 a kg a year ago and ₹47 in July, before climbing to ₹65 at the peak. (File photo)

While its earlier steps included allowing one million tonnes of duty-free raw sugar imports in August to improve domestic availability, the government has continued to tighten controls on the market. Since July, central and state teams have been physically verifying sugar stocks at mills to check for hoarding and artificial scarcity.

Even though prices fell by early September, on September 15, the Centre cut the stock limit for dealers from 4,000 quintals to 2,000 quintals, citing concerns over hoarding and speculative trading. Three days later, it asked bulk consumers to report their sugar stocks every Friday through the food department’s online portal.

On October 1, the government tightened the limits further, allowing dealers to hold no more than 1,000 quintals and for a maximum of 15 days from October 15 to November 30, citing the need to prevent hoarding and ensure supplies during the festive season.

Also Read: Sugar prices see sharp drop at mill gates, decline yet to fully reach consumers

Retail sugar was around ₹46 a kg a year ago and ₹47 in July, before climbing to ₹65 at the peak. It is now around ₹53.

According to agriculture expert and independent director GK Sood, “ ₹53 is the new minimum.”

The government has allowed one million tonnes of duty-free raw sugar imports, ordered stock checks and tightened limits on how much sugar dealers can hold. From October 15, dealers will be allowed to hold no more than 1,000 quintals and for no longer than 15 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ask HT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pallavi Singhal
Pallavi Singhal covers agriculture, food policy and the rural economy from New Delhi. Over the past four years, she has reported extensively on farm policy, food inflation, procurement, agri-markets and rural livelihoods. Before joining Hindustan Times, she worked at Moneycontrol and Informist. A journalism post-graduate, she started as a trainee reporter in 2019 with The Indian Express, Chandigarh. Away from the newsroom, she enjoys travelling and crime fiction—preferably mysteries easier to crack than government policy.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines, and real-time updates from across the nation. Stay informed on politics, government policies, crime, weather, and major national developments.