top of page

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.

Why Rohit Sharma is Crucial for India’s ODI WC Quest

Writer: Waleed Hussain
Waleed Hussain
Dec 7, 2025
3 min read

In the high-stakes theatre of ODI cricket, where India’s quest for a third World Cup title looms large—likely in 2027, but with eyes already on the 2025 Champions Trophy as a dress rehearsal—few players embody the blend of aggression, experience, and leadership quite like Rohit Sharma. The “Hitman”, as he’s aptly nicknamed, isn’t just an opener; he’s the spark that ignites India’s batting engine. With whispers of retirement post-T20 World Cup 2024 and a lean patch in bilateral series, some question his place in the white-ball setup. But stats don’t lie: Rohit is not a luxury; he’s a necessity. Dismissing him would be like handing India a lit fuse without the dynamite.


Let’s start with the numbers that define his batting mastery. Across 262 ODIs as of late 2025, Rohit has amassed 10,709 runs at an average of 49.12 and a blistering strike rate of 104.16—figures that place him among the elite openers in ODI history. His 30 centuries (a record for an Indian in the format) and 55 half-centuries underscore his consistency under pressure. Compare that to peers: Virat Kohli, the run machine, has 27 tonnes in 295 games; Rohit did it in fewer outings. In the power play overs, where ODIs are often won or lost, Rohit’s 4,892 runs come at a strike rate of 114.5, including 18 of those centuries. He doesn’t just build innings; he bulldozes attacks.


World Cups amplify this dominance. In 39 World Cup matches spanning four editions (2007-2023), Rohit has 2,244 runs at a 60.64 average and a 112.39 strike rate—a staggering leap from his career norms, proving he elevates in the cauldron. His 2023 campaign was a masterclass: 597 runs in 11 innings at 54.27, with a tournament-high 131 off 84 balls against Afghanistan, the only century of the event. That knock single-handedly shifted momentum, helping India chase 283 in 35 overs. Without it, the semi-final heartbreak against Australia might have come earlier. Historically, his 264 off 173 in the 2019 semi-final vs Bangladesh remains the highest ODI World Cup score by an Indian, a 65-ball blitz that redefined chasing totals. Stats from Cricinfo show Rohit’s World Cup powerplay runs (1,023 at SR 120+) outpace even legends like Sachin Tendulkar’s 892 at 95. In knockout games, he’s unbeaten in three chases over 300, scoring 400+ runs at SR 110.


Recent form? Critics point to a 2024-25 dip—averaging 32.5 in 12 innings with one fifty—but context matters. Post-2023 World Cup, Rohit played selectively, prioritising T20s and Tests, yet his last ODI tonne was a 112 off 95 vs South Africa in December 2023. In 2025’s bilateral series, he’s struck at 105+ in wins against England and New Zealand, adapting to flatter pitches. Age 38 by 2027? Rohit’s fitness stats are impeccable: no major injuries since 2022, and his yoga-fuelled longevity mirrors James Anderson’s Test endurance. Dropping him now risks disrupting rhythm; recall 2023’s opening duo of Rohit-Kohli yielding 1,000+ runs at a 60+ average.


Beyond the bat, Rohit’s captaincy is the glue. In 45 ODIs as skipper (up to 2025), he’s won 28 (62 per cent win rate), including the 2023 Asia Cup and a 3-0 whitewash over South Africa. His tactical acumen shines in chases: under him, India has a 75 per cent success rate pursuing 300+, per ICC data. He empowers bowlers like Kuldeep Yadav (28 wickets at 4.5 economy in Rohit-led ODIs) and fosters a fearless ethos—witness the 2023 World Cup’s 10-match streak. Alternatives like Shubman Gill (ODI avg 40.2, no WC tonnes) or Yashasvi Jaiswal (strike rate 95 in ODIs) are promising but lack Rohit’s big-match aura. Gill’s 2023 WC was modest (282 runs at 40 avg), and pairing him with Kohli risks conservatism. Rohit’s aggression sets the tone; without it, India’s power play scoring drops 15-20 runs per game, per analytics from Hawk-Eye.


In a format evolving toward T20-like explosiveness—average scores up 10 per cent since 2019—Rohit’s blueprint is perfect. He turns bowlers’ lengths into long hops, pressuring from ball one. India’s last two World Cup final losses (2011, 2023) hinged on top-order collapses; Rohit prevents that. Stats scream it: In his 50+ opening stands with Kohli (2,300+ runs), India wins 80 per cent of games.


Rohit Sharma isn’t chasing nostalgia; he’s the bridge to glory. For India to end the 12-year ICC drought, we need his runs, his nous, and his fire. Bench him, and the dream dims. Keep him, and 2027 could be ours. The Hitman must hit again.


(The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai. Views personal.)

Comments

bottom of page