Sugar prices up in Delhi by Rs 2 in June-July at Rs 40-41

"The retail price of sugar in Delhi increased by about Rs 2 per kg in June-July 2016 and currently, the prices are in the range of Rs 40-41 per kg," Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs C R Chaudhary said in a written response to the Rajya Sabha.

The wholesale price of M31 sugar in the Delhi market in June and July (up to July 22) were in the range of Rs 3,690-3,890 per quintal, he added.

"To keep a check on rise in price of sugar, the central government has imposed stock holding and turnover limits on sugar for six months. Further, government has imposed Customs duty of 20 percent on export of sugar to conserve stocks in the country and ensure its availability at a reasonable price," Chaudhary said.

There is no proposal, according to the minister, to supply sugar at nominal rates to Delhi residents through retail outlets of Mother Dairy and the National Co-operative Consumers' Federation (NCCF).

Meanwhile, as per Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) data, the country's sugar production is estimated to fall to 25.1 million tonnes in the 2015-16 marketing year ending September, from 28.3 million tonne in the previous year.

The association has projected that production could fall by over 7 percent to 23.26 million tonnes next marketing year starting October on a likely drop in sugarcane output due to poor rains in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Despite the estimated fall in next year's sugar output, ISMA said there would be sufficient stock to meet domestic demand.

"With an estimated opening balance of 7.1 million tonnes and estimated production of 23.26 million tonnes, the sugar availability during the 12 months of next season will be 30.36 million tonnes, enough to meet the domestic sugar consumption requirement of 26 million tonnes in 2016-17," ISMA had said.