Rising sugar prices in India seem to have further soured the relations between Poonawallah brothers after Shehzad, who recently resigned from the BJP , took a jibe at brother Tehseen over his ‘sugar scam’ remark on X.
Shehzad took a jibe at Tehseen over this and also made a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi , saying that he is not fit to ‘even be a booth level leader’.
The price surge has prompted the government to step up measures to curb hoarding and allow sugar imports for the first time in nearly a decade to augment domestic availability ahead of the festive season. Nearly three-fourths of ethanol produced in India now comes from grains, particularly maize, the government stated. “From soap to cars, from spices to flour, rice, sugar, and oil, inflation has broken the back of the common man. Incomes are limited, but kitchen expenses keep rising every month.
Sugar prices in India have seen a gradual uptick recently, with retail prices rising from ₹ 48.18 per kg on July 20 to ₹ 58.20 per kg on August 21, according to data from the consumer affairs ministry’s price portal. The share of sugar diverted for ethanol has declined from around 12% of production in 2022-23 to about 9% in 2025-26 as output dropped, according to an official release. Due to the Modi government’s wrong policies, common people are being crushed in the mill of inflation, and the middle class’s household budget has completely gone haywire.
Slamming the government over the rising sugar prices, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Saturday argued that current inflation has “broken the back” of the common man due to the wrong policies of the Centre. He noted that the recent rise in prices has not only shaken the budget of ordinary households but has also impacted “the plate and daily expenses” of the public. The direct impact of inflation is now falling on the common man’s plate and daily expenses,” said Jairam Ramesh. “In just 15 days, sugar prices have surged by ₹ 14-17 per kg,” the Congress leader said in a statement, cited by news agency PTI .
The government on Friday clarified that the surge in prices cannot be attributed to the diversion of sugar for ethanol , pointing instead to lower-than-expected domestic production, higher festive-season demand, and weather-related crop damage.
