The spot pepper prices continued its fall despite having not much selling

pressure today on the terminal market.

But, the trade told Business Line that, many of the primary market dealers in Kerala's Idukki and Wayanad districts have, of late, turned out to be interstate dealers and they were despatching the material directly to upcountry markets.

On the other hand, it is a high demand period and notwithstanding no buyers including those from the 'papad' industry were coming forward to buy. It is a surprise, the reasons are unknown, probably it might be because of the high prices of pulses, a veteran trader said.

Meanwhile, the arrival of pepper continued to stay much below the normal expected supply levels at this time of the season. It should be around 100 tonnes a day and, instead, it is dwindling between 30 and 50 tonnes, market sources pointed out.

On the terminal market 30 tonnes of pepper arrived and of this 10 tonnes were from the plains and 20 tonnes from the high ranges. The pepper from the plains were traded at Rs600 a kg while that from the high ranges were traded and at Rs605 and Rs610 a kg.

Spot prices declined by Rs300 a quintal to close at Rs60,300 (ungarbled) and Rs63,400 (garbled) a quintal.

February and March contracts on the IPSTA remained unchanged at Rs62,000 and Rs60,500 a quintal.

Indian export prices were at $9,450 a tonne cf for Europe and $9,700 a tonne cf for USA. e.o.m.

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