Prices of sugar, rice and other essential commodities surge ahead of festive season
Wholesale traders point at failed crops as reason for the surge in prices
Hyderabad faced soaring prices of essential commodities like sugar, rice, and pulses as the city gears up for Dasara and Deepavali festivities. The Hyderabad Kirana Merchants Association had to close shops at Begum Bazar, a major wholesale market, by 5 p.m. starting Friday due to the rising COVID-19 cases.
Failed crops and poor monsoon rains have been the primary reason for the price surge, according to wholesale trader Ashish Agarwal. In Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, the Bombay-Hyderabad route has been particularly affected. Onion prices have nearly doubled, sugar prices have risen by 23.4%, sunflower oil by 16.9%, jaggery by 15.7%, tur dal by 13.5%, chillies by 11.5%, and rice by 10.1%.
Prices of essential items have increased compared to the same time last year, with sugar touching ₹65 in August 2026, up from ₹52.68 in October 2025. Tur dal prices have gone from ₹94 to ₹136, chana dal from ₹73 to ₹90, urad dal from ₹97 to ₹125, and moong dal from ₹95 to ₹106. The price of a 19 kg commercial gas cylinder in Chennai has increased by 67.7%, from ₹1,738 on September 1, 2025 to ₹2,916 on September 1, 2026.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
