In coarse grains, corn and barley firmed up by Rs 10-20 per quintal because of hoarding tendency. New crop arrivals also had declined.

In pulses, the market buoyed up. Arhar rose from Rs 1350-1850 against previous close of Rs 1250-1750 a quintal due to lower quality arrivals of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Dal arhar dara and Patka gained Rs 50-100 at Rs 2400-2500 per quintal. Though, arhar production is expected to increase, but the market was more influenced by the stronger dollar as it could affect the import prospects.

KabligramIrani flared up by Rs 100 due to lower import expectation. Gram prices fell by Rs 20-25 per quintal pressurised by stockists profit-taking sales. Rangooni urad, however, moved upward by Rs 20 due to slack import.

Cottonseed oil improves

Edible oils firmed up on the local market in tandem with Mumbai where the prices were reported steady. Few days back, Maharashtra government had slashed sales tax on edible oils from 1.5 per cent to one per cent which delighted the industry, but after a shortwhile the state government slapped one per cent tax on turnover and 10 per cent surcharge on total taxes, leading to high prices. The prices rose in other markets also in Indore, soyabean oil firmed up by Rs 20 at Rs 2820 a quintal and in Rajasthan, mustard and cottonseed oils were static to be at Rs 3960 a quintal and Rs 3000 per quintal. As a result, in local market, cottonseed oil improved by Rs 20 at Rs 3200 per quintal and coconut oil Pariwar was able to go up by Rs 10 at Rs 990 per tin.

Sulphurkhandsari easy

Sugar prices were silent and there was no trading in imported sugar.

According to traders, they were apprehensive of four per cent sales tax on imported sugar. In mill delivery sugar, Mawana traded at Rs 1500, Douralla and Simbhauli at Rs 1385, Modi Rs 1395 and tax-paid Dhampur Rs 1462 per quintal. Sulphur khandsari fell back by Rs 10 per quintal as in UP gur units were getting enough sugarcane.

Almond declines

In tandem with southern auction centres, cardamom small fell locally from Rs 550-840 to Rs 525-815 per kg. The prices fell also because of stockists profit-taking and there was expectations of Guatemala arrivals. Nutmeg of Kochi and Singapore quality eased by Rs 5 a kg. On the other hand, Pakistani demand is tumbling by Rs 50 per kg.

In dry fruits, almond California continued downward march and fell freshly by Rs 4 at Rs 243 a kg.

Bullion dearer

Both the precious metals brightened in the local market helped by tight supplies and high overseasprices.

Spot silver gained by Rs 55 at Rs 7490 a kg from previous close of Rs 7435 a kg due to further erosion in arrivals from overseas market which on Monday was negligible at 2000 kg. The sentiment was aided on reports from Hong Kong where silver was stated to be steady at 496 cents an ounce.

Gold biscuit and standard mint gold rose further by Rs 30 at Rs 4340 and Rs 4350 per 10 gram, on advices from Hong Kong where the prices rose a bit from $281 to $283 per ounce.

Mentha oil slips

Menthol flake and bold edged up by Rs 2-7 per kg locally on the back of high prices news from UP mandies and lower inflow. Mentha oil and thymol, on the other hand, slipped by Rs 3-5 per kg due to slack offatke.

As manufacturers sold on reducing the prices and increased the supply, acetic acid glacial, fell by Re one at Rs 20 a kg.

Cadmium rod rises

Increased mutual trading activities pushed up cadmium rod and plate in the local market by Rs 6 at Rs 35 and Rs 39 per kg. Aluminium products rose asthe manufacturers were seeking higher prices and slashed the supplies.

Aluminium coil (36 gauge) of Hindalco was jacked up by Rs 2 at Rs 118 a kg. Whereas Ahmedabad rolling millers prices for the coil were quoted Rs 12 lower at Rs 106 per kg as compared to Hindalco. Aluminium wire bar and rod as well saw rise of Rs 1.50 at Rs 80.50 and Rs 85 per kg. Aluminium sheet cutting edged up by Re one per kg.

In copper products, the market lacked in heavy inventories and as Shahdara demand increased, prices of copper utensil, mixed, scrap and wire scrap marked up by 50 paise per kg. Better local demand pushed up tin ingot by Re one per kg.