OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE The wholesale price of sugar on Tuesday increased by Rs155 per 50kg bag to reach Rs3580 in the provincial capital. Consequently, the retail rate of the sweetener jumped to Rs75 per kg from Rs72, though the shopkeepers were already selling it for Rs75 per kg at retail level, market sources said. Now the retailers may raise the price in a day or two. Hence the commodity will not available for less than Rs78 per kg, said Asghar Ali But, President Sugar Dealers Association. He confirmed that the price of sugar has hiked by Rs155 per 55 kilogram bag in wholesale market. He said that sugar mills have raised the commodity price, therefore, wholesalers passed on the increase to the retailers. Before the arrival of Ramazan, the price of the commodity has hiked by Rs7 at retail level, as the commodity was available at Rs68 about two-week ago. The increase in rate of sales tax on sugar might be one obvious reason for the continuous increase in the commoditys price, said a shopkeeper in Mozang area. He said that the price of the commodity should remain unchanged at retail markets because shopkeepers were selling older stocks. He said that retailers are presently selling the commodity in range of Re72-75, depending on how old s their sugar. And when the retailers acquire new stocks of sugar at new price, they would pass on the hike to consumers, he said. He said that the expected production of the commodity is said to have been standing above the consumption. So there is no need to import the commodity if government handles markets wisely.