The Hindu Business Line : Wednesday, December 13, 2006

CLIMATE & WEATHER
N-E monsoon beginning to taper off
The north-easterly winds have started largely waning over the Bay of Bengal signalling that the north-east monsoon season may have peaked already, and may now gradually begin to back off from peninsular India. Easterly waves will now become ... More

INSIGHT
Vidarbha farmers miss making election statement
Farmers re-electing ruling party members in the by-election will only lead the Congress to believe it is on the right track. More

PLANTATIONS
Growers seek long-term policy on arecanut
More

RUBBER
Spot rubber rules steady
The physical rubber prices closed unchanged on Tuesday. RSS 4 finished flat at Rs 85 a kg both at Kottayam and Kochi as trend setting TOCOM was slightly disappointing. The buyers kept a low profile on the grade and the arrivals were also narrow. ... More

DAIRY & DAIRY PRODUCTS
International accreditation for Amul's plants
Anand Milk Union Ltd's (Amul's) plants have become the first in the food industry to comply with the ISO 22000:2005 standards of food safety management. The food safety management systems in Amul's dairy plants at Anand, Food Complex at Mogar ... More

COTTON
Bt cotton area set to rise 75 pc next season
Seed prices may continue to rule at Rs 750 a packet of 450 grams More

OILSEEDS & EDIBLE OIL
Of olive oil and sticky issues...
One of the Council's objectives is to consolidate the technical activities... We have many sticky issues and tricky situations between member-nations. — MR HABIB ESSID, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL OLIVE OIL COUNCIL More

SPICES & CONDIMENTS
Pepper futures down on liquidation
Pepper futures market declined on Tuesday on liquidation during the intra-day trading even though there was no change in the fundamentals. In fact, the prices declined despite the fact that in the international market the competitor for India ... More

Chilli futures up on enquiries
Opening of the India-Bangladesh border on Tuesday after two weeks attracted fresh export enquiries for chilli pushing up futures prices on NCDEX by Rs 270 per quintal to Rs 6,707. There were also good enquiries from Sri Lanka and China. Mentha ... More

Higher demand
LOWER PRICES: A worker drying pepper at a farm near Kalpetta in Kerala's Wayanad district. Availability of Indian pepper at lower prices is likely to push up its demand in the global market. Buyers in the US and European Union have come forward ... More

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
McLeod Russel's acquisitions to boost tea exports
The recent acquisitions of tea companies by the McLeod Russel India Ltd, now the world's largest tea producer, will boost exports, according to a spokesman for the company. "The future acquisitions being planned in Assam and Kenya too will help ... More

EVENTS
Pawar calls State Agri Ministers' meet on Dec 22
Union Minister for Agriculture Mr Sharad Pawar has convened a meeting of State Agriculture Ministers on December 22 to discuss the five-part report submitted by the National Commission on Farmers. The meeting will consider the recommendations ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Tea exports to Pak seen doubling to 20 mkg
Overall shipments during Jan-Oct record slight dip More