The Hindu Business Line : Wednesday, May 16, 2007

COMMODITY EXCHANGES
Brent crude quotes $5 above WTI
The partial shutdown of North America's largest refinery, Valero, in the US, has resulted in Brent crude quoting at a $5 premium over WTI (West Texas Intermediate) crude price of $62 a barrel. Though WTI is used mainly in the US, it is looked ... More

CLIMATE & WEATHER
Cyclone Akash passes; buzz shifts to Arabian Sea
Tropical Cyclone 01B Akash intensified into a severe cyclonic storm before crossing the south Bangladesh coast early Tuesday morning, but beat forecasts of another round of intensification and a more delayed landfall. Akash displayed an `eye' ... More

ANIMALS & LIVESTOCK
Sheep rearers seek solution to grazing land issue
The Tamilnadu State Sheep Rearers' Association members have asked the State Government to convene a joint meeting of officials from the forest and animal husbandry departments with the members of their association to discuss the loss of grazing ... More

RUBBER
Poor arrivals prop up spot rubber
Spot rubber showed a firm trend on Tuesday. According to reports, arrivals to the village markets were almost nil indicating a decline in stocks with the growers. Hence the sellers preferred to sideline the market expecting a revival in ... More

SUGAR
Lower sugarcane prices, urges industry
Sugar mills have said that they will not be able to pay the minimum price fixed by the Government for sugarcane for the next season. Faced with low sugar prices and high production, the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said that sugarcane ... More

TEA
Revival package sought for ailing tea gardens
Mr Shashank Prashad, the newly elected President of Tea Association of India, in a statement has urged the Union Government to declare a package for relief and rehabilitation for a large number of ailing but not closed tea gardens on the same ... More

44 tea brands fetch higher than average prices
A total of 44 tea brands sold at the auctions of the Coonoor Tea Trade Association (CTTA) in the first quarter of 2007 fetched at least Rs 5 more per kg than the auction average, according to the latest edition of Tea News released by the ... More

DAIRY & DAIRY PRODUCTS
Review of ban on milk powder exports after Sept
The Centre has ruled out any immediate lifting of the ban on milk powder exports imposed since February. "The ban is effective till September 30. We will take any decision after reviewing the situation then," the Secretary, Department of Animal ... More

SPICES & CONDIMENTS
Pepper price index up in April
On fall in Vietnam, Indonesia output More

INTERVIEW
`Policy change unlikely in UP sugar sector'
The new government's call probably would be to fix up or revise SAP on the downward side in the month of November More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Rupee effect: Coffee exporters stop signing new orders
Currency gains 8% over $; growers reluctant to lower prices More

Mangoes cannot be `gifted' to the US
ONLY BULK More