Sell wheat via FCI, says Gidwani

NEWS DIGEST

The union government should make wheat available in the open market through the Food Corporation of India for the lean months of October to December, said Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, president of the committee of consumer protection, market, industry and commerce department under the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.

The rising wheat price has led to a price rise in end products like bread and pav, affecting the common man. The average price of wheat is currently in the range of Rs 950-1000 per quintal.

In the past, the central government has been intervening in the open market through FCI to curb the rising wheat price. "We want the government to make wheat available to the non-wheat growing Southern and Western states at a rate of Rs 850 per quintal", said Gidwani.

Awards for Sakuma Exports

Sakuma Exports has won the awards for the biggest exporter of peanuts and castor oil in 2004-05 from Indian Oil Seeds & Produce Exporters Association.

Chander Mohan, chairman, received the awards from K S Money, chairman, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority in a function held in Mumbai.

The company exported more than 25 commodities to over 50 countries during the period. About 40,000 tonne of peanuts, accounting to about 35 per cent of the total market share of Indian exports to the far east. The company exported 12,000 tonne of castor oil in the same period under consideration.

Sakuma was the first company to export sugar to Pakistan with a shipment of 50,000 tonne during the current year. For the current year, the company has set an export target of 50,000 tonne of peanuts and 100,000 tonne of sugar, once the ban on sugar exports is lifted.

State-run firms' coal output at 27.22 mn tn

State-owned coal mining companies produced 27.22 million tonne coal during August compared with 25.51 million tonne during the same month last year, an official release said on Tuesday.

Coal India Ltd, a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Coal, and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd, a joint undertaking of the Centre and Andhra Pradesh government, dispatched 21.37 million tonne coal to the power sector.

The production target for both the companies was set at 29.43 million tonne for August. During the month, e-marketing was conducted in all the coal producing companies of CIL and 2.04 million tonne of coal was allocated for e-auction.

Rajesh Exports to roll out jewellery stores

Rajesh Exports, the Bangalore-based jewellery exporter, is to roll out its maiden retail venture 'Laabh Jewellers' throughout the country before Diwali. The company plans to sell a range of 3,000 items of practical and designer range jewellery at the stores.

The range, with local designs, has been created by company's research and development wing.