The Hindu Business Line : Monday, August 11, 2008

AGRI-BIZ & COMMODITIES

CULTIVATION: Low prices, delayed payments pull down sugar output
Sugarcane gives way to soya, maize as growers switch crops. Chennai, Aug. 10 Low prices for sugar during the last two years and delay in payment for sugarcane delivered by growers to sugar mills seem to have taken a toll on the ...

OUTLOOK: Further drop likely in gold as dollar looks to gain strength
‘Slowdown in commodities could last up to six months’. Chennai, Aug. 10 The weekend witnessed a crash in commodities as the dollar gained strength. The greenback that has been gaining strength has got nothing to do with any bright ...

CLIMATE & WEATHER: Depression rains it heavy over Konkan, Andhra
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 10 The well-marked ‘low’ over northwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Saturday, crossed land on Sunday and hung over north interior Orissa retaining much of its ...

PLANTATIONS: Arecanut meet stresses role of SHGs in plantations
Proposes formation of a federation of cooperatives. The use of self-help groups (SHGs) to tackle labour shortage in arecanut plantations and the formation of a federation of cooperatives dealing in arecanut and associated crops were the main ...

SPICES & CONDIMENTS: Firm rupee keeps pepper non-competitive in world market
Strong domestic demand would hold the prices. Kochi, Aug 10 Pepper futures market witnessed high volatility during the week on bearish and bullish speculative activities. The August contract dropped by Rs 280 a quintal to close at Rs 13,910. ...

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: Gold to test support, rise higher
Comex gold futures ended sharply lower, as the dollar headed for its biggest weekly rise in 3-1/2 years, and it looked set to fall further, as index funds and investors liquidated commodity holdings. The dollar surged against the euro on Friday, ...

TEA: Q1 tea exports up 3.9 mkg
Kolkata, Aug 10 Between January and June, India exported 87.4 million kg (mkg) of tea (44.7 mkg North Indian and 42.7 mkg South Indian varieties), up by 10.4 mkg over the same period of 2007, when exports were to the tune of 77 mkg, ...

OILSEEDS & EDIBLE OIL: World vegoil prices fall; Indian consumers yet to benefit
Mumbai, Aug 10 The widespread sell off in the commodity markets in recent days has not spared the vegetable oil market. Firming US dollar, falling crude prices, burgeoning stocks and generally improved weather conditions in major origins have ...