May be the cup that cheers you every morning, doesn’t really cheer you up now when you realise how much you have to pay for the sweetener.
With the rise in sugar price in the Indian market, the eastern region of Bhutan is also now facing the brunt of this sweet commodity.
According to the market report here at Trashigang, the price of sugar earlier would range from Nu 30 to 35 but now it has shot up to Nu 40 to 50.
According to a wholesale dealer, sugar comes in packets from the company; one kilogramme or 900 gram packet. According to a dealer Pema, they are selling the one kilo pack for Nu 50 and the 900 gram pack for Nu 40 which shows a rise of Nu 15 in the price of sugar.
Not only in Trashigang but the other parts of the eastern region are also feeling the pinch of rise in sugar price. In Mongar too, according to a telephonic conversation with a retailer, the sugar price has now gone up to Nu 45 from Nu 30.
Trashiyangtse also feels the pinch in the price rise and most of them say that the rise is too much. There is almost about Nu 15 rise in the price of sugar.
According to Galey, a resident here, the sugar pack which cost ngultrum 30 before has now gone up to 45 and some retailers even charge 50.
The wholesalers bring their stock from Phuentsholing, so they are not able to sell at the price the sugar are sold in the west as the transportation cost is higher in case of the eastern wholesalers.
The retailers say that many have now started to cut down on the use of sugar as they can see people turn their backs on a pack of sugar because of its price.
Sangay, a resident, said that it has become difficult to have a cup of tea now. Sugar costs Nu 50 and milkmaid, which can supplement sugar, all the more costs about Nu 200.
“It is better if we shift to another substitute or not have tea at all,” he said.
The urban residents are not happy with the rise in sugar price and as is the case with the villagers. Most of them who BHUTAN TODAY spoke to opined that they would rather cut this commodity out of their life.
Kinley from Udzorong said that he will not drink another cup of tea till the price of sugar comes down as Nu 50 for one kilogramme of sugar is too much.
The price of sugar alone is not in cloud nine right now. While people are compelled to do away with something sweet, there are also talks that the prices of other essential commodities are going to hike.
According to reports appearing in the media, we import more than 70 percent of essential commodities from India. If the price of anything we import from India rises, Bhutanese consumers too have to bear the brunt. This calls for some arrangement for food security at the national level, some say.
By Rinzin Lotey in Trashigang
