FCI employees threaten stir: The employees of the FoodCorporation of India (FCI) on Wednesday threatened to go on a one-day strike on March 26 to protest against the management's indifferent attitude towards their demands including a time-bound promotion policy. "There will be a country-wide strike on March 26 which will badly affect the work of FCI if the management does not respond positively," Bhartiya Karamchari Sangh (BKNKS) said in a release in New Delhi. The call for agitation was given by national committee of FCI employees union, which has around 35,000 employees. Banks, affiliated to the FCI employees union, will also participate in the strike, the release said. They will also organise an employees rally on Friday in the capital in which members from all over the country are expected to participate, it said.

Coffee auction prices dip: The latest average auction prices of coffee have undergone a 45 per cent decline and that of tea 20 per cent, compared to the prices which prevailed last year, according the United Planters' Association of SouthIndia (Upasi). While plantation `a' grade coffee quoted at Rs 79.28 at the latest auction compared to Rs 143.89 per kg, the average tea prices were about Rs 63.90 as against Rs 85.40 quoted a year ago, statistics released by Upasi said. The latest average tea auction prices stood at Rs 63.90 for CTC and Rs 68 for orthodox per kg as against Rs 85.14 and Rs 85.40 quoted last year, it said. Arabica cherry `ab' grade and Robusta cherry `ab' quoted Rs 72.74 and Rs 66.08 respectively during the latest auction compared to Rs 120.67 and Rs 68.39 per kg during last year.

Cement output up 9.2%: Indian cement production reached 70.45 lakh tonnes in February, up 9.2 per cent from 60.82 lakh a year earlier, according to provisional figures released by the Cement Manufacturers' Association (CMA) on Wednesday. Cement sales in February were 70.54 lakh tonnes, up 12.9 per cent from 60.68 lakh tonnes a year earlier. February's cement output was, however, down 2.6 per cent from January's 70.65 lakh tonnes. In the first11 months of the current fiscal, cement output was 7.29 crore tonnes up 5.8 per cent from 6.89 crore in the same period last year. In the same 11-month period, sales were 6.87 crore tonnes, up 6.24 per cent.

Diamond units down shutters: About 80 diamond cutting and polishing industrial units in Thrissur district on Wednesday downed their shutters indefinitely in protest against the action of provident fund officials, who raided a unit at Ponnore near Thrissur on Tuesday as part of a drive to ensure that PF rules were implemented. Official sources said the All-Kerala Diamond Artisans Association president CR Prabhakaran and employees of Ajith Diamonds and other units had refused to cooperate with PF officials and `obstructed' them. A case had been registered against Prabhakaran and 15 others in this regard, the sources said. A tense situation arose as owners and employees of other units closed their units on hearing of the raid and gathered in front of the factory, the sources said.