AGRI-BIZ & COMMODITIES
RICE
Shrinking paddy cultivation
A farmer applying fertiliser in a paddy field near Kochi. Shrinkage of agricultural lands in Kerala has affected paddy cultivation in the State. As per figures available, there are only about 3.5 lakh hectares of agriculture land today as against ...
More
Global rice price outlook positive
THE outlook for world rice market in the coming months is positive as tight availability should keep prices firm, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) which has forecast world rice trade in 2004 to reach 26.1 million ...
More
AQUACULTURE
US anti-dumping suit slows shrimp market
THERE is a lull in the market for black tiger shrimps with US buyers preferring to await further developments in the anti-dumping case pending with the US Department of Commerce. The dip in activity is expected to continue for some time with ...
More
INSIGHT
Nature's caprices and state's tyranny
Politicians talk loosely of compensation and glibly of comprehensive crop insurance. What kind of an insurance can protect farmers against the caprices of nature in a country where the agriculture is capital-starved and there are no physical protecti on like poly-houses and culturing of whole soils to provide perfect drainage?
More
RUBBER
Rubber declines on lack of demand
RUBBER market declined on Tuesday. Sheet rubber RSS 4 closed at Rs 50.25 a kg against Rs 50.50 on Monday. The weakness shown by the world markets triggered some selling from traders. All the grades, except latex, suffered in the absence of any ...
More
SUGAR
Sugar: Juicy plan
The proposals in the Interim Budget, requiring banks to work out debt restructuring packages for sugar companies, may directly benefit Dhampur Sugars Mills and Dharani Sugars. The profitability of both these companies has been under stress due ...
More
TEA
Mixed reaction from tea industry
THERE was a mixed reaction from the stalwarts of tea industry on the announcements made by the Union Finance Minister in his Interim Budget 2004-05. Mr Jaswant Singh has allowed the small growers, who contribute about 18 per cent to the total ...
More
Tea prices dip at Coonoor sales
THE prices declined this week for almost all grades of teas except the CTC dusts at the auctions conducted by the Coonoor Tea Trade Association (CTTA) when 10.24 lakh kg were offered for sale. The Nilgiri producers were upset that the better ...
More
Tea: Sweetened cup
Providing the tea industry some relief from its burden of the past five years, the Government has announced fresh working capital to tea growers and a special term loan repayable in five years with a moratorium of one year. Banks would ...
More
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
Dip in gold prices likely
GOLD prices retreated on an extended correction with major volatility noticed in the currencies, which led to some selling pressure and much needed correction for gold. A record 1,581,320 gold futures contracts changed hands on the COMEX in ...
More
WATER
Indira Gandhi canal project gets more funds
THE Government has announced that water supply in Rajasthan would be augmented by accelerating work on the Indira Gandhi Canal and extending the Narmada Canal to the State. "The Indira Gandhi Canal project has languished for decades, slowly ...
More
METALS
Hind Copper increases copper cathode prices
Hindustan Copper Ltd has raised prices of copper cathodes to Rs 152.548 per kg for this month from Rs 144.045 of last month. On the other hand, Sterlite Copper and Birla Copper, leading metal producers in the private sector, have reduced their ...
More
COFFEE
Coffee prices seen up a tad
AFTER a row of four to five very bad years, there seems to be some improvement in the international coffee market, according to Ms Lakshmi Venkatachalam, the Chairperson of the Coffee Board. In an interview here , she said: "The current demand ...
More
SPICES & CONDIMENTS
Cardamom rules steady at auctions
CARDAMOM prices ruled steady at the major auction centres in Kerala and Tamil Nadu last week. Average prices of bulk varieties were quoted at Rs 355-360 per kg on Tuesday. Prices of graded varieties were AGEB Rs 425-435, AGB Rs 320-330, AGS Rs ...
More
AGRICULTURAL POLICY
Softer loan regime for tractor sector
TRACTOR companies have welcomed the farmer-friendly policies indicated in the Interim Budget on Tuesday, stating that it would result in higher credit availability with the farmers. The industry has specifically displayed optimism about the ...
More
PEOPLE
Anti-GMO activist Nanjundaswamy dead
DR M.D.NANJUNDASWAMY, advocate of farmers' rights and anti-MNC activism, died here on Tuesday. Prof Nanjundaswamy strongly opposed genetically-engineered crops and the country's joining of the WTO. He took on the likes of Cargill Seeds, ...
More
Comments & Letters to the Editor to: bleditor@thehindu.co.in
Subscribe to: Business Line
|
RSS Feeds