Kolkata

Retailsugar prices have shot up to Rs 70 per kg in Kolkata markets ahead of the festive season, traders said on Friday. Prices have surged by Rs 20 a kg in the past month alone, while the last four to five days have seen a sudden 10 per cent jump, they said. Sugar-associated products such as jaggery, batasa (sugar drop), and nakuldana are also witnessing a similar spike.

The Centre on Thursday evening allowed sugar mills to import one million tonne of raw sugar, a measure last resorted to a decade ago, but its impact is yet to trickle down to retail markets, traders said.

The government has also imposed a stockholding limit on bulk customers who consume more than 10 tonne of sugar a month, capping their stock at 15 days' consumption. Confederation of West Bengal Trade Association (CWBTA) president Sushil Poddar said there was no control over sugar mills, with wholesale prices already touching Rs 65 a kg.