Congress Leader Links Sugar and Tomato Costs to Farmer Distress

During an interview with IANS on August 25 in Saharanpur, Congress MP Imran Masood connected the escalating prices of sugar and tomatoes to a broader crisis facing Indian farmers. He reported that sugar prices have risen sharply from Rs 42 to Rs 70 per kilogram, a jump that is expected to push tomato prices higher as well.

Masood argued that the combined effect of these price hikes will make it increasingly difficult for low‑income families to afford basic cooking fuel, threatening to extinguish the stove flame in many homes. He warned that inflation is tightening the financial squeeze on the poor.

The MP also highlighted the plight of sugarcane growers, who have not received pending dues for the past five years, and noted that fertilizer costs are rising, further eroding the cost‑price balance for cultivators. He recalled that during the UPA regime, sugar was priced at Rs 30 per kilogram, a level that has now doubled.

Masood concluded by criticizing the current government's economic management, stating that even the BJP‑led administration has failed to double the real earnings of the agricultural sector, while unemployment continues to climb.