Sugar and Edible Oil Prices Put Fresh Pressure on Household Budgets
Sri Vijaya Puram | August 23, 2026 Household grocery budgets are facing fresh pressure as prices of some essential commodities, particularly sugar and edible oils , have increased in recent weeks. However, the increase has not been uniform across all essential food items. Sugar has emerged as one of the most notable areas of concern. Recent reports indicate that sugar prices in India have risen amid tighter supplies, prompting the Centre to take measures to improve availability, including allowing duty-free imports of raw sugar. Edible oils have also remained expensive. Government data indicates a significant increase in edible-oil prices, while recent market reports show particularly high prices for sunflower and other cooking oils in several states. Some pulses have recorded more moderate increases. Recent government data showed increases in the prices of urad dal , tur dal and masoor dal , while moong dal recorded a relatively smaller movement. For consumers in the ...