Bhubaneswar: Sugar prices continue to remain high in Odisha's retail market, with the commodity selling at around Rs 75 per kg and even higher in some places. The high prices are putting pressure on sweet shops and tea stalls despite no shortage in supply.

Over the past two months, the retail price of sugar has risen sharply. The price, which was around Rs 4,000 per quintal, climbed to Rs 6,400 per quintal. In the wholesale market, sugar prices rose from around Rs 40 per kg to Rs 64-66 per kg. Retailers were selling it Rs 5-8 higher than the wholesale rate.

The wholesale price has now declined by around Rs 400 per quintal to Rs 6,000. Sugar is currently available in the wholesale market at around Rs 60-62 per kg. However, the decline has not been reflected proportionately in retail prices, which continue to remain high.

The retail price of sugar has increased by around 87% in two months. Measures taken by the Centre to control prices have so far not translated into any significant relief for consumers in the retail market.

The high cost of sugar is also affecting businesses that depend heavily on the commodity, particularly sweet shops and tea stalls.

Shyam, who runs a tea stall near the IDCOL Auditorium in Bhubaneswar, said tea prices had been increased recently when cooking gas prices went up, but no further increase has been made so far.

"If sugar prices continue to rise like this, a further increase in the price of tea cannot be ruled out," he said.

Akshaya Kumar Lenka, president of the Ama Pahala Rasagola Foundation, said the cost of several ingredients used in making sweets, including chhena and sugar, has increased significantly.

According to Lenka, sugar has become around Rs 30 per kg more expensive, while the price of chhena has increased by about Rs 20 per kg. The rise in input costs has substantially increased the cost of making sweets.

He said the organisation would consider increasing sweet prices after Rakhi Purnima, taking into account the rise in production costs.

General Secretary of Odisha Byabasayee Mahasangha Sudhakar Panda said there was no shortage of sugar in the state and wholesale prices have actually declined.

He said Odisha requires around 2,500 tonnes of sugar every day, 75,000 tonnes a month and nearly nine lakh tonnes a year. According to him, the required quantity is reaching the state, and there are no major supply-related problems.

Panda, however, alleged that large traders and corporate entities were benefiting from the high prices. He said sugar was being sold at higher rates in malls and through online platforms, while there was little effective control over such prices.

He attributed the high retail prices to several factors and said stronger monitoring of retail channels was needed to ensure that the decline in wholesale prices reaches consumers.