On limited deals, copper prices fell by Rs 2 per kg in the local non-ferrous metal market today owing to slackness in demand, amid weakening global trend.

Copper softens on lower global trend

Press Trust of India

Saria strengthened by Rs 500 per tonne in the wholesale steel and iron market today on emergence of stockists buying followed by pick up in demand.

Saria rises on stockists buying

Gur shakkar prices improved upto Rs 100 per quintal today following paucity of stocks, amid pick-up in demand.

Gur moves up on paucity of stocks

In restricted activity, maize prices rose by Rs 20 per quintal on the wholesale grains market today on increased industrial demand against less arrivals.

Maize rises on increased industrial demand

The Income Tax department today surveyed business premises of big onion and vegetable traders including at Azadpur wholesale market here to detect hoarding and illegal profiteering.

IT conducts searches in Delhi, NCR to detect onion hoarding

Led by tin, most of the base metals declined modestly at the non-ferrous metal market here today due to subdued industrial demand as well as lower stockists buying in view of a bearish sentiment at the London Metal Exchange (LME).

Base metals soften on bearish global cues

Copra Rajapur dropped at the spices market here today due to subdued demand from stockists and exporters amidst improved supplies from key growing regions.

Copra Rajapur drops on sluggish demand

Faced with high food inflation, the government today exempted sugar imports from customs duty till March 31, 2011, even as the country has started exporting the sweetener and output is set to exceed demand this year.

Govt exempts sugar from import duty

Onion prices increased 20 per cent today in the city retail markets due to short supply, following a traders&rsquo; boycott of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee&rsquo;s (APMC) onion auctions.

Onion prices rise as traders keep away from auctions

Business Standard

Not many would have noticed the news item of Portugal briefly running out of sugar a few weeks ago. But the fact that in nearly three decades a European country had to contend with zero stock of an essential commodity, however short-lived that might have been, was a kind of rude awakening for the European Union (EU). This alongwith harsh winter in Europe has led Brussels to not consider sanctioning new sugar licences immediately.

Underlying fundamentals of sugar become tighter

Uttar Pradesh, the leading producer of rabi crops in the country, has set a target of over 12.6 million hectares of acreage this season.

UP crops to gain from late rain

Paddy production in West Bengal is expected to fall 40 per cent due to last summer&rsquo;s drought, which lowered seed production in some rice-producing districts by as much as 60 per cent. In the absence of sufficient irrigation, productivity is also likely to take a hit. Potato and boro paddy (winter rice) are the two main rabi crops of the state.

Paddy output may fall 40% in West Bengal

Andhra Pradesh will bring an additional 400,000 hectares under paddy cultivation this rabi season.

Andhra rice acreage to rise 400,000 hectares

While natural and synthetic rubber prices are on a roll, chemical intermediaries used in the processing of rubber are facing rough weather.

Rubber input makers seek protection

The projection is not &ldquo;very convincing&rdquo;, said Rajiv Budhraja, director general, Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association.

Tyre firms sceptical of Rubber Board's high stock estimate

The state is the third-largest producer of wheat.

Fertilizer shortage, power cuts to hit MP crops

Supported by firming trend at the London Metal Exchange (LME) as stockpiles diminished, copper futures prices traded 0.52 per cent higher at Rs 432.95 per kg today.

Copper futures up as global stockpiles decline

Nickel futures prices traded 0.73 per cent higher at Rs 1,101.50 per kg today, as speculators enlarged their positions at prevailing levels, amid firming trend at the spot market.

Nickel futures strengthen on spot demand

Tracking gains in other base metals, lead futures prices rose by 0.63 per cent to Rs 119.75 per kg in futures trade today.

Lead gains 0.63% in futures trade on spot demand

Zinc traded 0.59 per cent higher at Rs 110.25 per kg on the Multi Commodity Exchange counter today, largely in tandem with a firm trend at the spot market on the back of rising demand.

Zinc futures up on spot demand, global trend

Cardamom futures prices rose by 12.50 to Rs 1,579 per kg in futures trading backed by a strong demand against restricted supplies in the spot market.

Cardamom rises on firm spot demand

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