# Food inflation worries grow as prices surge

> Elevated food prices threaten to push inflation higher this month.
- Title: Food inflation worries grow as prices surge · Financialexpress
- Summary: Elevated food prices threaten to push inflation higher this month. Rising retail prices for onions, sugar, and rice could increase food inflation to 6% by…
- Keywords: food inflation, onion prices, sugar prices, rice prices, kharif crops, government stock, business, money, news, Food, inflation, worries
- Source: Financialexpress — https://financialexpress.com/policy/economy-elevated-prices-raise-food-inflation-worries-4357823
- Author: Sandip Das
- Published: 2026-10-09T15:48:16+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: food inflation, onion prices, sugar prices, rice prices, kharif crops, government stock, business, money, news
## Key food prices rise sharply
Retail prices for onions, sugar, and mustard oil increased 100%, 19%, and 8% year-on-year.
## Food inflation hits 5.95% in August
August food inflation rose to 5.95% compared to the previous year due to costlier ginger, garlic, onion, sugar, chicken, and edible oils.
## Government offloads onion stock
The government started offloading onions at Rs 35/kg to curb price rises until the kharif harvest arrives.
## Kharif crops boost prices in Maharashtra
Average mandi prices in Maharashtra dropped 13% to Rs 400/quintal due to fresh kharif crops in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
## Key takeaway

Rising retail prices for onions, sugar, and rice could increase food inflation to 6% by October as the government offloads stock.