By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Rising sugar prices have triggered political protests in Uttarakhand, with the Congress staging a demonstration in Dehradun against the sharp increase and accusing the government of failing to protect consumers from rising prices ahead of the festive season.
Against the “adulterated” petrol due to the government’s ethanol policy and the skyrocketing prices of sugar, Congress workers on Saturday staged a protest demonstration at an Indian Oil petrol pump in Dehradun under the leadership of state party vice President Suryakant Dhasmana. The party announced a state-wide agitation against the Central and State BJP governments in the coming days over issue.
The protest comes amid a significant rise in retail sugar prices. According to the government, the average price increased from ₹48.18 per kg on July 20 to ₹65-70 per kg on August 22, prompting authorities to step up monitoring and announce measures to ensure adequate availability and prevent further escalation.
The government has rejected claims that the price rise is primarily linked to diversion of sugar for ethanol production. It said the proportion of sugar diverted for ethanol has actually declined from around 12 per cent in 2022-23 to about 9 per cent in 2025-26. Nearly three-fourths of the country’s ethanol production now comes from grains, particularly maize, it said.
Officials attributed the recent rise in sugar prices to several factors, including lower-than-expected domestic sugar production, increased demand ahead of the festive season, weather-related damage to sugarcane crops, tightening global supplies and alleged speculation and hoarding by sections of the industry.
Sugar production during the current season is estimated at around 306 lakh metric tonnes (LMT), substantially below the initial estimate of about 343 LMT made by sugarcane-growing states.
Production has reportedly been affected by Red Rot and Top Borer diseases in sugarcane, besides waterlogging caused by excessive rainfall in several growing areas.
Despite the shortfall in production, the government has maintained that sugar stocks in the country are adequate to meet domestic requirements until the beginning of the new crushing season in October.
The sharp increase, however, has raised concerns among consumers and political parties, particularly with major festivals approaching. The Congress protest in Dehradun sought to highlight the impact of rising sugar prices on household budgets and demanded effective steps to bring prices under control.
The government has said it is closely monitoring the market and will take necessary measures to ensure sufficient availability of sugar and prevent artificial scarcity during the festive season.
With demand expected to rise further in the coming weeks, the government’s ability to contain prices while ensuring adequate stocks is likely to remain a key issue for consumers as the festive season approaches.