Kerala : Sugar, jaggery prices hit record highs ahead of Thiruvonam, raising Onasadya costs
Sugar and jaggery prices have surged in Kerala ahead of Thiruvonam, with retail sugar reaching ₹69 per kg and jaggery around ₹80 per kg. While Supplyco offers cheaper sugar, limited access to outlets means many households face higher festive costs.
PALAKKAD: For Kerala households getting ready for Thiruvonam, the familiar sweetness is coming with an unfamiliar price tag.
Sugar price has climbed to a record Rs 69/kg in open retail market, while jaggery has touched Rs 80/kg. The sharp rise has pushed up the cost of one of the most cherished ingredients of the Onasadya.
For traders, the escalation is extraordinary. “We have been in wholesale business for the past 60 years. This is the first time we have witnessed such a hike. Compared to last Onam, sugar is at least Rs 22 costlier,” said Antony Chakkiath, who runs Elias and Co, a wholesale sugar and jaggery dealership in Ernakulam.
The rise has been rapid. Sugar was selling at around Rs 43-45/kg in wholesale market until two months ago. Jaggery was also considerably cheaper.
With the next sugar production season expected to begin only after November, traders say there is little prospect of a quick correction in market.
The Onam season magnifies the pressure on supplies. Around 80 truckloads of sugar, each carrying nearly 40 tonnes, enter Kerala during the normal period. During Onam, this rises almost threefold.
A substantial portion of Kerala’s sugar requirement is met by private mills in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
The open-market prices are, however, sharply different from the rates offered through the state-run Supplyco network. Subsidised sugar is available at Rs 37 a kg, including packing charges, while the non-subsidised price is Rs 51 a kg. Supplyco does not offer subsidised jaggery. Branded jaggery packets are priced around Rs 80-84 a kg.
However, with not even half of the households reaching Supplyco and state-run outlets and the demand for sadya ingredients being highest during Onam, many will directly feel the heat of price hike, say retailers.
Onion prices zoom to Rs 60; shallots at Rs 180
The price of shallots rose from Rs 170 to 180 per kg, while big onions are now being sold at J60/kg. Snake gourd rose from Rs 65 to J80, and lady’s finger is now sold for Rs 60 from earlier Rs 45. “The price of essentials rose even two or three days ago. On Uthradom Day, the price is expected to increase again,” said C S Ratheesh, Palayam area committee secretary of Vyapari Vyavasayi Samiti.
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Source : The New Indian Express
