New Delhi: The government, in collaboration with the sugar industry, is committed to ensuring that sugar remains affordable for consumers during the upcoming festive season, stated Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) Director General Deepak Ballani on Thursday.

Ballani highlighted that maintaining a stable supply of sugar and reasonable prices is especially important with festivals like Dussehra and Diwali approaching soon.

He said, “First of all, government and industry, we are committed to provide sugar at a very reasonable rate to the consumers, especially during the festival demand, festival season.”

He added that retail sugar prices have already started to decline, making sugar more affordable ahead of the festivals.

to Ballani, domestic sugar supplies are adequate, with ongoing efforts to regulate prices effectively.

He noted that retail prices generally take some time to adjust after changes in ex-mill prices, as lower wholesale costs are gradually reflected along the supply chain.

Currently, ex-mill sugar prices have decreased by about 25 to 30 percent, with the pan-India average ex-mill price around Rs 4,450 per quintal.

Ballani expects that retail sugar prices will progressively fall in response to this price rationalisation.

He explained, “Basically, what happens is that it takes some time for the prices to reflect all the way down to the retail prices. Now that the XMIL prices have already rationalised by almost 25 to 30 per cent, pan-India average XMIL prices are on 4450. So I believe with time to come, retail prices will also correct.”