RUBBER
Centre's assurance boosts rubber prices
REACTING to the statement of the Union Commerce Minister, Mr Kamal Nath, that the Government would protect the interests of the growers in case of a price fall below Rs 50 a kg, domestic rubber market improved on Wednesday. All grades gained ... More

SUGAR
ISMA flays oil firms for slow progress in `gasohol' programme
THE Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) has accused the public sector oil companies of "dragging their feet" over implementation of the `gasohol' programme, which envisages countrywide coverage of 5 per cent ethanol-doped petrol by the end of ... More

DAIRY & DAIRY PRODUCTS
NDDB winds up Mother Dairy Foods
THE National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has wound up Mother Dairy Foods Ltd, the granddaughter company created by it to forge marketing joint ventures with individual State co-operative dairy federations. Mother Dairy Foods has been merged ... More

COTTON
CCEA clears 20 lakh cotton bales for export
THE Government on Wednesday approved export of up to 20 lakh bales of cotton by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) during the 2004-05 season. The proposal approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) provides cost ... More

OILSEEDS & EDIBLE OIL
Solae launches soya drink; eyes Rs 300-cr sales in 5 years
THE Solae Company appears to be betting big on India. The eight-year old company, with Rs 20 crore sales at present, expects to grow to Rs 300 crore in the next five years. On the anvil is an investment of Rs 50 crore by 2006 in establishing a ... More

SOPA seeks cut in M.P. mandi tax
DOMESTIC soyabean trade, facing sluggish prices and severe under utilisation of capacity, has also been impacted by the ITC Ltd's e-choupal system which has been increasing direct purchases from farmers, according to the Soyabean Processors' ... More