Freight rates remain stable across states

Our Commodities Bureau in Mumbai

STABILITY factor was seen across the board in freight rates for the nine-tonne payload from Mumbai to most of the country’s major cities. Towards north, the rates continued to firm up while eastern and western routes gave further hints of consolidation. South, except the drought-hit Karnataka, remained more or less on stable ground.

Transporters had said that truck rates for the festive season, beginning Ganesh Chaturthi, might signal a revival in most routes. Most of the impact will be felt within Maharashtra and neighbouring Gujarat. Rates to Pune, Nagpur and Nashik are up a tad, riding the good weather and an improved cargo movement. Select cities in Gujarat, Ahmedabad, Surat and Kandla went up marginally by around Rs 200-300 range.

“Rajasthan rates will consolidate soon, given the movement in the region. There is a reasonably good demand for vehicles here,” said a western region transporter. However, he could not explain if the impact of the economic was being felt in the major industrial belts.

As usual, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab were busy with rates further rising by another few hundred rupees. Further north, J&K cities were seen commanding a premium over the previous week. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh were more or less unchanged despite an improvement in the weather. “It might take a few weeks before orders start flowing in. At present, we are booking at early August levels,” informed a Mumbai-Lucknow booking agent.

Rates to eastern cities were more or less unchanged last week. Assam, which had seen a jump of around Rs 3,000 to places such as Dimapur and Tinsukhia, was not in the same league last week. Transporters, however, gave a conflicting picture of Orissa rates, which would be clear in the coming few weeks. Parts of Karnataka are under drought and this has affected the rates partially. Marginal changes have been seen in Mysore and Hubli rates. However, southern region in general is placid before the festive season begins.