Ponni boiled rice, which was available at a price of Rs 17.50 per kilo at the wholesale market during last month, is now being hawked at a rate of Rs 19.50 per kilo. At the retail markets, the rice variety is being sold in the range of Rs 20-22 per kilo.

This sudden increase, say industry sources, is largely owing to the monsoon failure in the state. Major supply of this rice variety is procured mainly from districts in and around Trichi. With little rains in and around the region during the last month, the production of the rice variety has been very poor, they say.

The rates of this boiled rice could have further gone up but for arrivals from Andhra Pradesh, sources claim. Though the boiled rice supplied from Andhra is of a little inferior quality, thishas helped in containing the prices of boiled rice from shooting up further, they add.

However, agriculture department officials of the state are confident that the rains lashing the region since last two days will see a revival of the crops. They are hopeful that the delayed monsoon would help in stabilising the prices of the rice variety.

The scene of raw rice, however, is different. The prices of this rice variety has remained stable despite the shortcomings of the monsoon. This is because of the heavy arrivals from Andhra, explain sources. There has been a rush to send rice stocks from Andhra to Tamil Nadu during this month owing to the reported tab put by the Andhra government on the inter-state permit, valid only till November 24, 1999. This, in turn, has helped the prices of raw rice to stay the same, they say.

But the general scene of both boiled rice and raw rice is expected to stabilise in about a month's time. The arrival of the monsoon, though a bit delayed, is expected to sort out problemsof the rice varieties.