The Hindu Business Line : Maize price remains volatile despite bird flu

Coimbatore, Jan 20 Maize price remained volatile this week with the rates for the commodities quoted at mandis touching Rs 7,200-7,220 per tonne, some three per cent higher than last week, market reports said. The volatility is due to bird flu in the eastern region and high exports.

The maize supplies to the eastern region were affected this week. There has been a supply crunch in other parts especially Gujarat where the maize deliveries were being made at Rs 8,800 per tonne or higher, according to the US Grains Council’s India reports.

The prices at upmarket centres including Nibaheda (Rajasthan) and Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh remained firm at the previous week’s level, the rates moved up slightly in southern centres including Nizamabad, Kareem nagar and Davangee with the increasing ranging from Rs 90-200 per tonne.

The report said of the total maize production of 16 million tonnes expected for 2007-08, poultry sector is expected to use close to 48 per cent and starch sector another 11.4 per cent.

In the wake of the bird flu attacks in West Bengal, the wholesale prices of broilers and eggs went down by 20-25 per cent across all markets in the country.