Commodity prices surge in Gujarat as sugar and onion costs rise

Significant price increases for essential commodities are impacting households in Gujarat, India. Sugar prices have risen by 127 percent over the last 13 years, with a 40 percent surge noted in the last two months alone. This spike is attributed to a 15 percent decrease in sugarcane cultivation area, which fell from 2.23 million hectares in 2021-22 to 1.89 million hectares in 2024-25.

Other essential goods have also seen dramatic cost increases. Onion prices rose from 23 rupees per kilogram in May 2013 to 84 rupees per kilogram in August 2026, representing a 217 percent increase. Wheat flour prices have reportedly risen by 228 percent, and peanut oil has increased by 73 percent.

In response to rising costs, the central government has approved the duty-free import of 1 million tonnes of raw sugar. Political representatives from the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee have criticized the government's handling of hoarding and production shortages during the festive season.