Sugar Prices Soar in Gujarat Amidst Decline in Sugarcane Production

The price of sugar in Gujarat has increased by 20 to 25 rupees per kilogram over the past two months. Sugar that was once available for 40 to 45 rupees per kilogram is now selling at 65 to 75 rupees per kilogram, depending on the location. Wholesale prices range from 6800 to 6900 rupees per quintal (100 kg) for fine sugar and 6900 to 7000 rupees per quintal for medium grains.

The main reason behind this price hike is a decrease in sugarcane production due to various factors such as industrialization, labor costs, and soil fertility. According to Dr. Shailesh Mali, a sugarcane research scientist at Navsari Agricultural University, the area under cultivation has shrunk by 5,000 hectares, leading to a shortage in the supply of sugarcane.

Ranjitbhai Patel, Senior Director of the Navsari Cooperative Sugar Industry Association, adds that the production of sugar was further affected by the use of sugarcane for ethanol production. Out of the total sugarcane grown in the country, enough sugarcane to produce 25 to 30 lakh tonnes of sugar was used to make ethanol.