Sugar Price Hike: Sugar prices have surged dramatically in the past few weeks. Even before the festive season, the price has surpassed ₹65 per kilogram, increasing the tension among the common man.

Sugar Price Hike: Sugar consignments to reach India by October 15

Sugar Shipment to India: The head of the NFCSF, an organization of cooperative sugar mills, said that the initial shipment of sugar could arrive in India before October 15th, following the government's approval of duty-free imports. However, it's difficult to say the exact quantity at this time. Meanwhile, the government's crackdown on hoarding has already led to some decline in prices.

How much sugar will reach India?

Speaking to PTI on Sunday, Prakash Naiknavare, president of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF), said that Brazil is currently the only viable source for imports, as traditional supplier Thailand is facing a sugar shortage. It typically takes 40-45 days for shipments from Brazil to India, with additional port processing time.

NFCSF chief Nayaknavare said, "It's difficult to predict how many shipments might arrive before October 15, but there's a good chance some shipments will arrive by then." He added that estimating the exact quantity is difficult because there are several processes involved, from DGFT approval and allocation to issuing letters of credit and scheduling shipments, and it also depends on traffic at Brazilian ports.

Sugar prices will now come down!

The government has taken this step to control sugar prices, which have risen by up to 40% ahead of the festive season, and to increase domestic availability. Arriving consignments before October 15th will ensure timely fulfillment of festive demand. Following the government's duty-free decision, importers have begun rapidly negotiating deals to ensure stocks reach Indian ports as quickly as possible. It's worth noting that on August 20th, the government allowed duty-free imports of up to 1 million tons of raw sugar to control prices. Due to the supply shortage, sugar prices at both retail and wholesale levels across the country have risen by 24% in just one month to ₹56-60 per kg.