A huge stockpile of sugar in the undeclared godowns of wholesalers has brought about the commodity scarcity and price surge ranging between Rs 55 and Rs 60 per kg on the retail markets, sources said on Wednesday. Whereas, despite a decline of Rs 80 per 80-kg in the wheat flour (Chakki) prices on the wholesales market for the last one week, the consumers are still compelled to purchase the flour at increased rates in the retail markets.
Price of wheat flour has reduced to Rs 2320 per 80-kg sack from Rs 2400, while its retail price hovers between Rs 32 and 34 per kg, according to the city's leading retailers that "price of wheat flour had reached Rs 3000 per 80-kg in the last recent months."
Wheat grain is available for between Rs 2450 and Rs 2650 per 100-kg, they added, saying the fresh crop's arrival will be in March next year. They said that the government is neither interested to ensure the sugar sales on the court's directives nor making the wholesalers reduce wheat flour price, resultantly consumers are suffering.
They believe that the price of wheat flour will further come down following the government action of floating a tender for wheat sales. The sales of crop commodities have plummeted by 95 percent since rise in the prices of kitchen items has severely struck the consumer market.
Sugar is still hoarded in a huge volume in the godowns of city's various areas, where from the commodity on increased rate is supplied to the confectionery makers and tea-shops. Criticising the government, they said that it has adopted a policy of wait and see while consumers have much suffered in recent months from unavailability and price increase of sugar.