The Hindu Business Line : Monday, February 27, 2006

The regulator's perspective
The Commodity Futures Market in India has witnessed unprecedented growth in the last two years. The market grew by an astounding 440 per cent during 2004-2005 and the total value of trade on March 31 was Rs. 5.71 lakh crore. The momentum has been ... More

RICE

Bright prospects
REAPING GAINS: Rice grains being winnowed at a paddy field in Kerala's Thrissur district. India dominates the global parboiled rice market along with Thailand. Rice acreage has increased to 22.79 lakh hectares in current rabi sowing against ... More

INSIGHT

An emerging asset class
The outlook for commodities is positive as the high industrial growth in China and India is likely to continue. More

COMMODITIES

Global commodities profile rising
The market boom is far from over and, perhaps, it has just begun. More

HORTICULTURE/FRUITS & VEGETABLES

Kerala to begin organic pineapple farming
Project highlights
Growers to get Rs 25,000 subsidy a hectare
APEDA to fund packing house at NAPC
Organic pineapple to be priced 30% higher
More

RUBBER

Rubber futures may stretch gains
Natural rubber futures may move up in the domestic market this week on rising crude prices that are pushing up synthetic rubber rates, industry experts said. "There is a sizeable bullish trend palpable in the market. The increase in crude ... More

TAXATION

Should agricultural income be taxed?
Responses to Sticklish Issues dated February 20
Tax on farm income will inspire the farmer to face the state of affairs optimistically. The Indian farmer is pessimistic and believes that he is caught in a vicious circle of underdevelopment and that agriculture is a gamble with the monsoon. ... More

TEA

Tea traders worried over spurious arrivals
AN air of excitement and anxiety looms large among the tea trade as price levels start to move northward at the auctions, on the one hand, and spurious teas start flowing in, on the other. These teas, traders confirmed, were not sold through ... More

High demand fuels tea prices at Kochi sales
Of the quantity of 8,87,000 kg on offer in the dust category, the high-priced CTC was dearer by Rs 3 to Rs 4. Medium and below medium CTC was higher by Rs 4 to Rs 8. The bolder CTC was lapped up by exporters. Orthodox highgrowns were steady, ... More

Crop damage put at 20-30% — Red spider mite hits southern tea estates
The red spider mite has revisited almost every plantation in the South. Though the intensity of the attack is said to vary from estate to estate, the UPASI Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) has estimated the crop damage at 20-30 per cent of the total ... More

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS

Crude oil looks bullish
The near month crude oil futures closed on a strong note at 62.91 cents a barrel on Friday. The short-term outlook is bullish and a rise to 63.8-64 cents appears likely. A close above 64 cents would impart further momentum that could take prices ... More

Gold futures may test resistance
Gold futures rallied higher Friday after reports of an explosion at a crude oil facility in Saudi and shooting in the area. The market also was digesting a World Gold Council report showing fourth quarter 2005 global demand for gold fell 15 per ... More

Palm oil futures may consolidate
Malaysian crude palm oil futures ended higher Friday on bullish outlooks provided in the recently concluded " Palm Oil Price Outlook Conference" in Kuala Lumpur. Despite the bullishness, futures failed to cross the psychological resistance at ... More

POULTRY

Poultry sector seeks reschedule of loans
The Tamil Nadu poultry industry has approached the Union Government to reschedule the loans extended to the sector by the banks and financial institutions in view of the loss caused by the avian flu outbreak. The industry in a representation ... More

TN may get disease-free status
The Union Government will explore scope for de-zoning the poultry rearing States that remains free from avian flu and may declare them as `disease-free' zone. The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries in the Union Ministry of ... More

SPICES & CONDIMENTS

178 quintals cardamom delivered on NMCE
The National Multi-Commodity Exchange of India (NMCE) recorded the second highest physical delivery in cardamom at 178 quintals for the February contract. This constituted 0.94 per cent of the total volume of 18,964 quintals. The highest ... More

Spot pepper up Rs 450/quintal
Spot pepper prices shot up by Rs 450 a quintal in a week on short supply and increased demand. Reports of sharp fall in production to less than 50,000 tonnes has intensified the buying activities in the ... More

Pepper likely to stay hot
The current bull run in the pepper market is likely to continue in the short-term on increased demand and short supply. The reported sharp fall in Indian production, which is estimated to be less than 50,000 tonnes, on the one hand, and the ... More

AGRICULTURAL POLICY

Comprehensive fisheries policy
The Karnataka Minister for Medical Education and Animal Husbandry, Dr V.S. Acharya, has said that the State Government is planning to come out with a comprehensive fisheries policy in the budget session. Inaugurating a ... More

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