India Has No Sugar Shortage, Prices To Ease After Govt Measures: ISMA
New Delhi, August 24, 2026: Sugar industry's apex body ISMA on Monday asserted that there is no shortage of sugar in the country and said the prices in the retail market are expected to decline in the coming days following the government's decision to allow imports besides imposing stock holding limits on traders and bulk consumers. On Monday, the average all-India retail prices of sugar stood at…
On August 24, 2026, the apex body for India's sugar industry, ISMA, declared that there is no sugar shortage in the country. Retail prices for sugar are expected to decrease following government measures that allow imports and impose stock limits on traders and bulk consumers. The average all-India retail price of sugar was Rs 63.05 per kg on Monday, a 29% increase from Rs 48.73 per kg a month prior.
The maximum retail price stood at Rs 75 per kg, while the model price hovered around Rs 65 per kg. ISMA President Niraj Shirgaokar attributed the price rise to speculative buying by traders and bulk consumers, alongside lower-than-estimated production. India's net sugar production (excluding ethanol) is projected at around 279 lakh tonnes for the 2025-26 marketing year (October-September), with an opening stock of 50 lakh tonnes.
The annual domestic demand is estimated at 280-285 lakh tonnes. Shirgaokar projected a closing stock of around 35 lakh tonnes at the end of September, indicating a healthy buffer against normal domestic demand. The government's measures, such as the duty-free import window, stockholding limits, special crushing, and an early start to the new season, are expected to increase domestic supply and control prices.
Shirgaokar emphasized that the prices have risen due to a combination of factors like weather effects, festive demand, global sugar production tightening, and speculative stocking, rather than a real supply gap.
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