Hyderabad grocery prices have risen sharply across rice, pulses, sugar and cooking oil, forcing households to reduce purchases, shift to cheaper varieties and add wheat and other grains to their diets. Traders said rice, chana and sugar prices have climbed in recent weeks, adding pressure to families that spend between ₹10,000 and ₹12,000 a month on groceries.
Retail rice prices in Telangana rose 13.3% between July and September, according to Union consumer affairs ministry data cited in the report. In Hyderabad markets, rice that sold for around ₹45 a kg has reached nearly ₹80 a kg. Sona Masoori has increased from about ₹45 a kg at the end of August to ₹70, while HMT JSR has risen from approximately ₹65 to ₹95.
Chana, which cost ₹55 a kg in August, was selling at ₹76-77 as of October 12, traders said. Consumers are responding by limiting purchases and changing the mix of staples they buy. “Rice remains a staple for our family, but we have started looking at cheaper varieties. We have also started buying wheat and other grains,” said Archana D, a homemaker from Gowlipura.
For a typical family of four, rice and cereals account for about ₹2,500-3,000 of the monthly grocery budget. Pulses take up another ₹1,500-2,000, while sugar and other staples cost around ₹700-900. The increase in these categories leaves less of the household budget for vegetables, dairy products and other provisions.
Sugar prices have also moved higher. Traders said sugar was selling at ₹53-55 a kg on October 12, compared with ₹46-48 in September, after touching ₹72 in August. Trader Sanjay Joshi attributed the latest increase to festive demand ahead of Dasara and Diwali, along with uncertainty over fresh production. He said government reports indicated adequate stocks, but mills were reluctant to sell aggressively because they expected prices to rise further.
Sugar mills have reportedly been directed to begin cane crushing from October 15. Traders, however, expect operations could be delayed because of inadequate soil moisture linked to El Niño. They said this could affect harvesting, cane quality and sugar recovery. Some farmers were also reportedly holding back supplies in anticipation of higher prices. Joshi expected sugar prices to stabilise between ₹48 and ₹55 a kg.
Officials have tightened stock controls in response to the price pressure. The wholesale stock limit has been reduced from 2,000 quintals to 1,000 quintals, while weekly stock disclosures and physical inspections of mills have been mandated. Traders and shopkeepers said the measures could help curb excessive hoarding and black marketing.
Open-market trader Mahender Vyas said rice prices had risen across varieties. Manoj Kumar, who runs a kirana store in Panjagutta, said foodgrain consumption was likely to increase during the festive season. He added that farmers were harvesting paddy, maize, soybean and sugarcane, but some produce was being withheld from the market. Traders warned that rice prices could rise another 10-20% if rainfall remains inadequate over the next 10-15 days.
