Rising Sugar Prices May Reduce Durga Puja Sweet Variety

With the festive season less than two months away, traders are reconsidering plans for elaborate Durga Puja sweet displays. Some sellers have begun scaling back ideas for buffets containing many different confectionery items because sugar prices have increased.

Dhiman Das, a director of KC Das Pvt Ltd and president of Mishty Udyog, said sugar had become about Rs 20 more expensive. “If sugar price is not controlled, the variety of items will be limited,” he said, adding that shops could not raise prices arbitrarily because sweets had to remain affordable for buyers. Das called for government intervention over the increase in raw-material costs.

Sweet businesses are also facing higher milk prices and reduced supplies. Rajdeep Paul, managing partner of Hindustan Sweets, described the situation as a double blow because commercial gas-cylinder prices have risen as well. He said increasing the prices of finished products could result in lost customers, leaving sellers to absorb the additional costs before the festive period.

Sales traditionally begin with Durga Puja and continue through Bhai Phonta. One seller said businesses had no option but to tolerate rising input prices and could not readily switch to sugar-free products because those alternatives cost more.

Suddeip Sharma, founder of Dough as You like, said sugar remained a central ingredient in confectionery and that the business was monitoring prices closely. He said higher product prices could reduce customer numbers and that a continued increase in sugar prices could reduce the range of sweets available in Puja buffets.

Priyanka Sarayan, owner of Frost O Sugar, called the increase a challenge. Her business is reducing waste and handling production more carefully while waiting to see whether sugar prices are brought under control before the festival.