Rising costs of milk, khoya, dry fruits and other ingredients are also set to make several festive favourites 8% to 10% costlier this year, according to the sweet manufacturers. From fat-content tags on boxes to stricter kitchen hygiene and shelf-life declarations, Lucknow’s sweet shops are stepping up preparations for the Diwali rush under tighter food safety norms.
From October 15, the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (UP FSDA) has mandated the display of fat content, manufacturing date and expiry or use-by date on sweets. Khoya and ghee-based sweets are expected to cost ₹ 40 to ₹ 50 more per kg, while premium varieties such as kaju katli could see price increases of ₹ 50 to ₹ 100.
Loose sweets must carry manufacturing and use-by dates, along with a timestamp, according to the UP FSDA. “Despite efforts to absorb costs, margins are squeezed as raw material prices have spiked,” Tolani said. Shankar Gupta of Radhelal Parampara Sweets said extra staff had been deployed during the festive rush to ensure compliance with food safety rules.
