Non-basmati rice up on stockists buying

Non-basmati rice prices firmed by Rs 25 per quintal in the wholesale grains market today on government's decision to allow exports of three varieties of the non-basmati grain grown in the southern states.

Elsewhere, other grains prices moved in a tight range on alternate bouts of trading and settled around previous levels.

Traders said government's decision to lift the three-year old ban on exports of three varieties -- Ponni Samba, Rosematta and Soba Masuri -- of the non-basmati rice grown in the four southern states improved the trading sentiment.

In the national capital, permal raw, wand and IR-8 varieties attracted stockists attention and finished higher by Rs 25 each to Rs 1,875-1,925, Rs 2,075-2,175 and Rs 1,775-1,800 per quintal, respectively.

Meanwhile, rice exporters demanded that the government must allow exports of premium varieties of non-basmati rice grown in north such as 'Sugandha' and 'Sharbati' on the lines of the decision taken with regard to South Indian varieties.

Following are today's quotations in Rs per quintal:

Wheat MP (deshi) 1,710-1,860, wheat dara (for mills) 1,325-1,330 chakki atta (delivery) 1,330-1,335, atta Rajdhani (10 kg) 175, Shakti bhog (10 kg) 175, Roller flour mill 700-720 (50 kg), Maida 780-810 (50 kg) and Sooji 800-820 (50 kg)

Basmati rice (Lal Quila) 9,500, Shri Lal Mahal 9,300, super basmati rice 9,000, Basmati common 5,500-5,600, rice Pusa-(1121) 4,300-5,300, Permal raw 1,875-1,925, Permal wand 2,075-2,175, Sela 2,100-2,200 and Rice IR-8 1,775-1,800, Bajra 805-815

Jowar yellow 850-950, white 1,700-1,750, Maize 1,140-1,150, Barley (UP) 1,260-1,280 and Rajasthan 1,080-1,090