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By:

Rajendra Joshi

3 December 2024 at 9:20:26 am

Sugar industry strains as traders reap profits

Gap between ex-mill prices, retail rates raised questions Kolhapur: The Indian sugar industry is caught in a deepening crisis, with sugar mills struggling to secure remunerative prices for their produce even as traders and middlemen appear to be making substantial profits. While sugar mills are receiving between Rs 4,600 and Rs 4,800 per quintal through recent sale tenders, retail prices have remained as high as Rs 58 per kg. The widening gap between ex-mill prices and retail rates has...

Sugar industry strains as traders reap profits

Gap between ex-mill prices, retail rates raised questions Kolhapur: The Indian sugar industry is caught in a deepening crisis, with sugar mills struggling to secure remunerative prices for their produce even as traders and middlemen appear to be making substantial profits. While sugar mills are receiving between Rs 4,600 and Rs 4,800 per quintal through recent sale tenders, retail prices have remained as high as Rs 58 per kg. The widening gap between ex-mill prices and retail rates has raised serious questions about the role of intermediaries and the effectiveness of the Centre’s efforts to contain sugar prices. The margins available to traders and intermediaries have reportedly crossed 20 per cent, leaving sugar millers perplexed. At a time when both sugarcane growers and mill operators are under financial pressure, the trading chain appears to be benefiting disproportionately. The Centre must examine this growing disparity and take corrective measures to prevent speculative profiteering. Retail sugar prices began rising sharply in August, touching nearly Rs 70 per kg in some markets. The escalation added to inflationary pressures and caused concern among consumers, particularly ahead of the festive season. In response, the Centre introduced a series of measures to improve domestic availability and moderate prices. These included permitting duty-free sugar imports, initially until October 31, a deadline subsequently extended to December 31. The government also directed sugar mills to commence the crushing season from October 15 and tightened monitoring of sugar stocks. In another significant intervention, it modified the ethanol policy, restricting the diversion of sugarcane juice, sugar syrup and B-heavy molasses for ethanol production. Following these measures, sugar mills began witnessing a decline in the prices offered through their sale tenders. Recent transactions have fetched between Rs 4,600 and Rs 4,800 per quintal. Going by the conventional relationship between ex-mill prices and retail rates, sugar should ideally have been available to consumers at less than ₹50 per kg. However, retail prices continue to hover around Rs 58 per kg, pointing to a substantial disconnect between the mill gate and the consumer market. Traditionally, sugar retailing operated on relatively thin margins. Since sugar is an essential commodity, retailers often treated it as a low-margin product to attract customers who would subsequently purchase other household provisions. The margin was sometimes informally equated with the resale value of the empty 50-kg jute bags in which sugar was supplied. This was considered a nominal return for retailers. That traditional pricing mechanism, however, appears to have undergone a significant change. The widening gap between mill-level tender prices and retail rates has created considerable scope for intermediaries to extract higher margins. The critical question is whether the additional amount paid by consumers is reaching the sugar mills or remaining within the trading chain. The issue assumes particular significance in Maharashtra, where the sugarcane pricing dispute has intensified ahead of the new crushing season. Farmers’ organisations have been demanding a minimum price of Rs 5,500 per tonne for sugarcane. Millers, meanwhile, are preparing to agitate for a revision in the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) framework and the restoration of a more supportive ethanol policy. The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, led by Raju Shetti, has taken a firm position that sugar mills should not be allowed to commence operations until farmers receive an acceptable price for their cane. Shetti has also drawn the state government’s attention to the unusually high retail prices of sugar, questioning why consumers continue to pay more even as mills are forced to sell at relatively lower rates. The Centre’s sudden changes to the ethanol policy have further complicated the industry’s financial position. Ethanol production had emerged as an important revenue stream for sugar mills, enabling them to diversify operations, improve cash flows and enhance their capacity to pay farmers. Restrictions on the diversion of sugarcane-based raw materials have weakened this support at a critical juncture. The resulting contradiction is difficult to ignore: farmers are demanding better cane prices, millers are struggling with shrinking realisations and policy uncertainty, while intermediaries appear to be benefiting from the gap between wholesale and retail prices. The government cannot address the sugar crisis merely by regulating mill stocks, imports and ethanol diversion. It must also examine the entire supply chain, identify where the widening margins are accruing and ensure that the benefits of market interventions reach both sugarcane growers and consumers. With nearly Rs 2 lakh crore riding on the sugar economy, allowing intermediaries to thrive while the industry’s primary stakeholders struggle would be a serious policy failure.

Shubhanshu Shukla and the New Frontier of Space Biology

Writer: Dr. Kishore Paknikar
Dr. Kishore Paknikar
Jul 15, 2025
4 min read

Shukla’s participation in the Axion Mission 4 signals a systems-level turn in Indian space research.

As Axiom Mission 4 enters its final phase aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India’s first astronaut to live and work in space, is concluding a remarkable series of biological experiments that bridge decades of research and look boldly into the future. His mission, launched on June 25 and has commenced on its return home, marks not only a personal milestone but a collective step forward for Indian science in the orbiting laboratory of the world.


Shukla’s scientific itinerary reflects an evolution in how space life sciences are approached. Earlier generations of space biology, as documented in NASA’s Life into Space volumes and ESA’s Biological Experiments in Space, focused on basic questions of survival: Could seeds sprout in space? Would microbes mutate? How would human bones respond to zero gravity? The answers, often surprising, laid the groundwork for what Shukla’s mission is now extending: a systems-level inquiry into how entire biological subsystems adapt, function, and potentially evolve in microgravity.


One of the most celebrated experiments of his mission involves the sprouting of methi (fenugreek) and moong (green gram) seeds - staples of Indian diets and agricultural science. Using petri dishes and a controlled moisture environment, Shukla has nurtured these seeds aboard the ISS, observing germination in the absence of gravity. They will now be analyzed for any morphological or molecular changes after their return. Earlier studies from Skylab and Shuttle missions had shown that gravity influences root directionality, growth rate, and hormonal balances. This new data may offer insights into genetic or epigenetic adaptation over generations, with relevance both for space farming and climate-resilient agriculture on Earth.


Complementing it are cultures of Indian microalgae and cyanobacteria, tested as future life-support systems in space.


These photosynthetic organisms are capable of converting carbon dioxide into oxygen and biomass, offering a sustainable source of air and food. Past missions found that microalgae can survive in space but often display altered metabolism or reduced photosynthetic efficiency. Shukla’s experiments, designed in collaboration with Indian biotech institutes, aim to test the viability and nutritional profiles of these organisms under prolonged spaceflight conditions.


On the biomedical front, the mission includes two ambitious payloads – ‘Bone on ISS’ and ‘Myogenesis’ which study the breakdown and rebuilding of bone and muscle tissue in microgravity. Previous data from NASA and ESA showed that astronauts experience rapid bone density loss and muscle atrophy. Shukla’s contribution involves 3D scaffolds seeded with human stem cells, monitored for cellular behaviour in orbit. These tissue models are used to create digital twin simulations, providing personalized insights into astronaut health and opening pathways for regenerative therapies back on Earth.


A third key focus is the study of tardigrades, which are microscopic organisms known for their resilience to extreme environments, including radiation, desiccation, and vacuum. These “water bears” were first flown into space in the 2000s and astonished researchers with their ability to survive exposure to open space. Shukla’s experiment, developed by IISc Bengaluru, explores how tardigrades respond at the genetic and protein levels to sustained microgravity, potentially revealing mechanisms of cellular protection and DNA repair with applications far beyond astrobiology.


In parallel, Shukla has been participating in a cognitive science experiment titled “Screens in Space,” led by IISc. This research involves testing how microgravity affects human interaction with digital interfaces, such as touchscreens and eye-tracking systems. Earlier studies had shown that astronauts experience reduced concentration, slower reflexes, and fatigue. The goal is to optimize cockpit and workstation design for long-duration missions, where quick, intuitive control can mean the difference between routine success and critical failure.


Together, these diverse strands form a holistic tapestry of space biology. Where past missions asked whether life could survive in space, Shukla’s work asks how it might flourish—how it might adapt, regenerate, and sustain itself in the absence of gravity. His mission also reflects a conceptual pivot: space is no longer merely a destination; it is a biosphere-in-progress. His work on the ISS aligns with this vision, laying the groundwork for future space habitats where humans, plants, microbes, and machines must coexist in closed-loop systems of shared survival.


Historically, space life sciences were the domain of a few well-funded nations. India, despite its strengths in terrestrial biology and an expanding space program, had limited access to orbital biology platforms. Shukla’s presence aboard the ISS, enabled by ISRO’s partnership with Axiom Space and supported by CSIR, DRDO, ICMR, and multiple universities, marks a turning point. It clearly communicates that Indian science is prepared to play a meaningful role in shaping the biological future of space.


Beyond samples, the mission is expected to return with tales of seeds sprouting without soil, cells regenerating in zero gravity, and microbes glowing under alien light. It signals that Indian science, long grounded in earthly life, is now reaching for the stars with intent and finesse.


Whether on the Moon, Mars, or a future Indian space station, the challenges of sustaining life beyond Earth will demand solutions that are scientific, ecological, and ethical. Shubhanshu Shukla’s mission is a vital rehearsal for that future. It reminds us that biology is not bound by planet or atmosphere; it is a technology in itself, one that adapts, endures, and evolves.


He may still be circling above, but the seeds he has planted, in petri dishes, datasets, and imaginations, are already taking root below.


(The author is the former Director, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune and Visiting Professor, IIT Bombay. Views personal.)

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