Tirunelveli halwa gets costlier as sugar prices soar

CHENNAI: Tirunelveli’s iconic halwa is set to become more expensive as a sharp rise in sugar prices pushes up production costs, said a Daily Thanthi report.

Sugar prices have increased from around Rs 50 per kg last month to Rs 75, citing supply shortage and increased consumption.

Halwa prices may rise further

A popular sweet shop in Tirunelveli Junction has raised the price of halwa by Rs 20, from Rs 320 to Rs 340 per kg. Prices of other sweets, mixtures and savoury items have also been increased by Rs 20, while chips now cost Rs 380 per kg.

Other popular halwa shops are already selling the sweet at Rs 340 per kg, while the famous Iruttukadai halwa in Tirunelveli Town is priced at Rs 440 per kg. Shop owners said they are considering another hike of up to Rs 40 per kg and are likely to announce the revised prices within a day or two.

Sugar continued its upward march, rising by about Re 1 per kg to nearly Rs 64 on Tuesday in the retail market as recent government measures to curtail the surge take effect.

As per the data compiled by the Department of Consumer Affairs (Price Monitoring Division), the all-India average rate of sugar stood at Rs 63.97 per kg on August 25, a 31 per cent increase from Rs 48.81 per kg a month back.

The average rate is 38 per cent higher than the year-ago level, when sugar was available at Rs 46.31 per kg.

The data showed that the maximum selling price on Monday was Rs 76 per kg, while the modal rate was Rs 65 per kg.

The government and sugar industry bodies said ex-mill rates have fallen in the past few days. However, the impact is yet to be seen at the retail level.