In a press statement, the PSMA spokesman pointed out that in a recent tender opening for sale of imported sugar asked the lowest bidders to match the highest bid of Rs 26 per kg.
He averred it was pertinent to note that only one bidder had quoted Rs 26 per kg for small quantity of 100 tons only. This fixation of Rs 26 as price per kg had given advantage to some importers having interest to keep higher prices and did not let TCP to off load sugar. To give relief to the poor people, TCP should get rid of old stock as quickly as possible, because the new season would start in a couple of days.
Similarly, he said the TCP was selling imported sugar at a price of Rs 28 per kg that was again hitting the consumers in general.
According to him, the MCA had made its all out efforts to dig out presence of any cartel in sugar industry when sugar price was on the rise a few months back. However, he said the MCA was sleeping over the monopolistic attitude of TCP, which intended to offload its share on highly unreasonable price, causing undue burden on consumer.
The PSMA spokesman made clear that not a single grain of sugar was available with the sugar mills at present and the TCP was fully responsible for present price hike in the country.
According to him, since the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) governed the TCP, therefore, it could be said the government itself was active behind price hike in sugar market.
The PSMA spokesman urged the MCA to take notice of the situation and make sure that TCP should not make unreasonable profits on sugar stocks available with it.