Bhopal, Aug 19 - There is no respite from high retail prices of sugar in Madhya Pradesh even though authorities continued their anti-hoarding drive Wednesday and seized around 1,500 tonnes of illegally stocked sugar.

The wholesale price of the commodity came down after the government sized some 4,000 tonnes of hoarded sugar in the last five days, but consumers say they are still paying high price in the retail market.

'We are reading in newspapers that the sugar prices in the wholesale market have declined by Rs.400 to Rs.500 per quintal. But we still have to pay Rs.32 per kg or so for a kilogram,' said M.P. Goswami, a retired employee at Bharat Heavy Electricals.

'When I asked the shopkeeper about it, he said the retailers are still selling the old stock, which was bought for higher wholesale prices,' he added.

State civil supplies officials, backed by police, started a massive crackdown on hoarders last week and have seized more than 4,000 tonnes of the commodity so far.

Raids have been conducted in towns like Gwalior, Bhind, Morena, Shivpuri, Indore and Dewas.

'The wholesale price which was Rs.