The Hindu Business Line : Friday, May 27, 2005

Private banks slip on farm loan target, face RIDF option
FACED with shortfalls in the mandated agriculture lending targets, some private sector banks are forced to park their funds in the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF). Banking sources said that some of the advances classified as farm ... More

CLIMATE & WEATHER

Monsoon sets in over South Andamans
THE southwest monsoon has arrived in the South Andamans Sea and southern parts of the Southeast Bay of Bengal on Thursday, some 10 days behind schedule. The normal date of onset in South Andamans is around May 15. The system covers North ... More

PLANTATIONS

Bail-out package for coffee, tea growers
THE Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Thursday approved a relief package for the coffee industry that includes sharing the interest burden on Special Coffee Term Loan (SCTL) of the growers and writing off coffee developmental loans. ... More

RUBBER

`Rubber rising on shortage'
KOTTAYAM: The shortage of rubber and the strong interference of the rubber dealers put the rubber prices above the international level in the domestic market, said a press release issued by the Indian Rubber Dealers Federation. The 102nd ... More

Rubber rates rule steady
RUBBER prices were almost steady on Thursday. The market appeared to be stabilising around current levels as buying at lower levels kept the prices firm throughout the session. Covering groups and north Indian buyers were active as the selling ... More

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS

Gold may correct higher
SPOT gold prices are seen correcting higher on the back of short-covering ahead of a holiday weekend and supported by physical bargain hunting at the current low levels. On the economic calendar, markets will watch out for the US first-quarter ... More

PRECIOUS METALS

Silver prices surge 36 pc in 2004
A BOOM in investor activity, mainly driven by funds operating on futures exchanges and considerable buy side interest from high net-worth individuals resulted in a dramatic rise of 36 per cent in silver prices in 2004 culminating in an average ... More

DAIRY & DAIRY PRODUCTS

L&T to sell 50 pc stake in dairy plant making joint venture
LARSEN & Toubro has decided to sell its 50 per cent stake in dairy plant manufacturing joint venture, L&T Niro, to its partner Niro A/S of Denmark for an undisclosed amount. This is in line with L&T's desire to focus on core sectors with More

OILSEEDS & EDIBLE OIL

Rapeseed/mustard liquidation: Millstone around Govt's neck
THE policy makers in New Delhi are sure to find themselves on a slippery terrain with the price support agency — National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), under the administrative control of the Ministry of ... More

SPICES & CONDIMENTS

AP CM moots chilli board
THERE is a need for setting up a separate board for chilli here, on the lines of the Tobacco Board, as the State is the largest producer of the crop in the country, according to the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S Rajasekhara Reddy. Currently, chilli ... More

Cardamom prices up as supply dwindles
CARDAMOM prices have moved up by Rs 25 a kg during the past week at auctions held in Kerala on short supply. Arrivals at the auction held in Kumily on Wednesday stood at 18 tonnes and the entire quantity were sold out, as upcountry buyers were ... More