Maharashtra assembly polls fire up kitchen staple prices

Onions have become about 12% costlier in a week following the government's move to free up exports, according to the executives. Sugar prices have increased about 5% over the past month, they said, as the government, instead of following the usual practice of releasing more sugar in the market during the festive season, slashed the sugar quota for September by 6% to assuage the politically strong cooperatives and sugarcane farmers of Maharashtra.