MUMBAI, May 14: The prices of sugar in Mumbai have risen from Rs 1250 to Rs 1450 per quintal, and the prices per kilogram have gone up from the average Rs 15 to Rs 18.

Some shopkeepers have already imposed this nearly twenty per cent hike, and others are expected to follow suit.

This is reportedly due to the Central Government's failure to supply adequate amount of sugar to Mumbai to be sold in the open market. The government was supposed to provide an additional quota of one lakh tonnes of free sale sugar in the last month for May and June. However, it failed to do so as it did not inform the concerned sugar factories in the state.

Officials at the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) affirmed the prices of sugar had risen due to inadequate supply from the Centre.

They, however, were confident that the situation would be brought under control soon after the Centre releases the additional quota.

Meanwhile, city shopkeepers told Express Newsline the hike is inevitable, considering the Centre's stand. While sugar is abundantly available in ration shops, private shopowners are facing an acute shortage as stockists have increased prices.

Said Navneet Shah, a shopkeeper from Sion, ``We have sugar stocks enough to last a month. If wholesale traders stop supplying adequate quantity of sugar to us, prices are likely to rise further. If this happens, we will be forced to hike prices.''

Consumers, however, say the quality of sugar provided through the public distribution system (PDS) is not upto the mark. Therefore, they would prefer to buy free sale sugar.

Sheetal Kumaran, a housewife from Chembur asked, ``Why should we bear the brunt of a hike because of bureaucratic delays?'' Several others echoed a similar opinion.

The months of April and May comprising the marriage season, consumers will have to cough up more money for preparing sweets for auspicious occasions.In areas like Lalbaug, Parel, Dadar and in the suburbs, consumers have already started depending on sugar available in ration shops.

Meanwhile, the Mahila Aghadi (women's wing) of the Shiv Sena has decided to take up the issue with the higher authorities. K L Gidwani, the Mahila Aghadi's co-ordinator has demanded that the Centre must immediately release the additional quota of one lakh tonnes of free sale sugar to give relief to harassed Mumbaiites.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.