Kharge criticises Centre over sugar price rise, ethanol policy

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday criticised the central government over increasing sugar prices and low sugar stocks, alleging that "the bitterness of the Modi government's policies has seeped into the sweetness of sugar."

In a post on X, Kharge raised three questions to the government, which he said challenged its 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) claim. He asked why sugar stock in India, described as the world's largest sugar producer and exporter, is at its lowest level in nine years, and how the situation reached the point of halting exports and importing 1 million tonnes of sugar duty-free.

He also noted that sugar had become nearly 40% more expensive in three months and linked the price rise to the diversion of sugarcane for ethanol blending. Kharge said sugar output fell while imports rose under the government's ethanol policy.