Arya News - With the festival season approaching and key elections due next year, the increase in the price of these two kitchen essentials is critically timed for the BJP-led Centre.
NEW DELHI – Onion and sugar—the two kitchen essentials, one bitter and the other sweet—are bringing tears to the common man’s eyes while raising political temperatures ahead of the country’s festival season.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday took to social media to attack the Centre over “skyrocketing” inflation and asked the Narendra Modi government to explain how the poor and middle class make ends meet. “After sugar, now onions too are slipping out of the common man’s reach. In just a month, onion prices have surged by up to 76%, wholesale rates in states have doubled, and the government’s buffer stock lies empty. Milk, oil, fruits, and rations—all are becoming unaffordable for the average person.
“The Modi government, which claims to have ushered in the “good days,” should explain how the poor and middle class are supposed to make ends meet,” he said.
By its own admission, the government last week said that “sugar prices have increased in recent weeks, from Rs 48.18 per kg on 20 July 2026 to Rs 55.70 per kg on 20 August 2026.” Assuring that it is closely monitoring the situation and taking measures to ensure adequate availability and stable prices for consumers, the government called it incorrect to “attribute the recent increase in sugar prices to diversion of sugar for ethanol production.”
However, with the festival season approaching and key elections due next year, the increase in the price of these two kitchen essentials is critically timed for the BJP-led Centre.
Explaining that onion prices are said to be rising due to lower output, delayed monsoon rains and weather-related damage to the Kharif crop in major producing states such as Maharashtra, the Centre said it is trying to increase supplies and control prices with Kanda Express trains carrying stock from Nashik to Delhi, Chennai, Kochi and Guwahati.
So far as sugar is concerned, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Sunday said the Centre has taken multiple measures, including temporary imports of raw sugar, to address concerns over availability and rising retail prices.
He attributed the increase in sugar prices to lower production linked to red rot and top borer diseases in sugarcane, as well as waterlogging caused by excess rainfall. Despite lower-than-estimated production, adequate sugar stocks are available to meet domestic demand until the new crushing season begins in October, he also said
Critics, however, continue to question its sugar policy, farmer payments and diversion of sugarcane for ethanol production.
The Centre’s decision to permit imports of 1 million tonnes of raw sugar to control surging retail prices has resulted in criticism from experts and industry representatives.
“The shortage comes at a time when there is intense criticism over ethanol and sugar exports. By the government’s own admission, sugar production during the current season is expected to be around 306 LMT, compared with the initial estimate of around 343 LMT by sugarcane-growing states,” according to an industry insider.
Both onion and sugar are politically sensitive commodities. Their production and prices directly affect household budgets, farming communities and inflation. Interestingly, onion is also regarded as the ultimate barometer of political temperatures. Historically, onion prices have even known to influence election outcomes as well.