The Hindu Business Line : Saturday, September 30, 2006

RICE
AP Rice exporters deny hand in diversion scam
Rice exporters are not involved in any shady deals and they are making no attempts to divert rice meant for the public distribution system, or the food-for-work programme, according to Mr D. Surya Rao, Chairman of the Cocanada Chamber of ... More

HORTICULTURE/FRUITS & VEGETABLES
Himalya seeks patent for mushroom substrate tech
Develops way to make organic manure from it; to sell rights to US co More

Leafy green
A FARM WORKER irrigates a vegetable farm near Munnar in Kerala. Blessed with diverse climates and distinct seasons, the country grows over a hundred types of vegetables. Vegetable cultivation occupies 6.09 million hectares with an annual ... More

RUBBER
Spot rubber loses ground
Physical rubber prices declined on Friday. Though Japanese futures recovered partially in the latter half of the morning session, domestic traders seemed to have lost confidence to follow the trend. Since an improvement in domestic weather ... More

SUGAR
Confusion, lack of clarity over sugar estimate
The country's new sugar season (2006-07) is about to begin with a lot of confusion and possibly disinformation relating to cane output and projected sugar production, which would have a bearing on sugar prices. Lack of clarity and internal ... More

Sakthi Sugars restructures finances under CDR scheme
Sugar major Sakthi Sugars has restructured its financials under the Corporate Debt Restructuring Scheme (CDR). This restructuring is expected to help the company save about Rs eight-nine crore every year on interest cost, its Vice Chairman and ... More

TEA
Steady trend at Kochi tea auction
Prices of most dust and leaf teas remained steady at the Kochi tea auction, which had 11,86,000 kg of dust tea on offer. The prices of CTC dust generally eased by Re 1 to Rs 3, while orthodox dust grades remained steady. Blenders operated on ... More

Monitoring residue
PRECAUTIONARY SURVEY: A worker spraying pesticide at a tea plantation near Devikulam in Idukki district, Kerala. The UPASI Tea Research Foundation has commenced a survey to monitor the levels of pesticides residue in tea. The survey will cover at ... More

Upasi plea
SEEKS MORE SUBSIDY: The Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Mr Kamal Nath, hearing a point of view made by a delegation of the United Planters' Association of Southern India that met him in the Capital on Friday. The delegation urged Mr ... More

POULTRY
SKM Egg betting on growth
Improved profitability on the back of a drop in egg prices appears to have improved earnings forecast for SKM Egg Products Ltd. Analysts said that the company is also looking to set up its own poultry farm with an attached feed ... More

SPICES & CONDIMENTS
Brazil factor turns pepper futures hot
Reports that covering is taking place from Brazil by end-users in the US and a consequent increase in prices there pushed up the pepper futures market on Friday. Mixed reports are emanating from Brzail saying that it has raised the prices by ... More

Cardamom prices fall on sales
Weak demand adds to trend More

AGRICULTURAL POLICY
Govt hikes free sale quota for Oct
The Union Government has released a free sale quota (FSQ) of 16 lakh tonnes (lt) for sugar mills to offload during the coming festival month, which will see a spurt in demand on account of both Diwali and Id. The FSQ sugar of 16 lt for October ... More

Cabinet nod for Rs 17,000-cr farmers' package
The Union Cabinet on Friday approved allocation of Rs 1,003.13 crore from the Centre as interest waiver for debt-stricken farmers of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. This would be 50 per cent of the total estimated interest of Rs 2,006.25 ... More

TRADE & LABOUR UNIONS
Kanan Devan lockout lifted
The lockout imposed on six divisions, among three estates of the Kanan Devan Hills Plantation Company, from September 26 has been lifted, sources in the company said. The decision to lift the lockout was taken after the workers decided to ... More

EVENTS
Farmer suicides blown out of proportion: Agriculture Secy
Plans to bring more farmers under the purview of agricultural credit schemes, says agri secy. More