Black pepper firms up in lacklustre trade

Black pepper firmed up in an otherwise mute spices market here today due to rising demand from stockists and retailers amid restricted arrivals.
However, ginger bleached and unbleached slipped owing to lower offtake from retailers.
Meanwhile, all other copra varieties ruled stable in the absence of necessary buying support.
Black pepper rose by Rs 5/5 per kg to Rs 730/780 from Saturday's closing level of Rs 725/775, while, ginger bleached and unbleached moved down by Rs 10 per 10kg each to Rs 150 and Rs 170 as compared to Rs 160 and Rs 180 previously.
Following are today's closing rates (in Rs with previous rates in brackets):

Black pepper (per kg) 730/780 (725/775), ginger bleached (per kg) 150 (160), ginger unbleached (per kg) 170 (180), copra office Alapuzha (per quintal) 5,700 (5,700), copra office Kozhikode (per quintal) 5,600 (5,600), copra Rajapur Mumbai (per quintal) 10,500 (10,500), copra edible Mumbai (per quintal) 7,300 (7,300).