Edible oils maintained an upward trend for yet another week at the wholesale oil and oilseeds market on persistent buying by vanaspati millers against restricted supplies from producing regions and recorded gains by up to Rs 100 a quintal.
A few oils in the non-edible section, also showed a similar trend on the back of increased offtake from consuming industries.
Trading activity remained restricted as markets remained closed on Thursday on account of "Holi" festival.
Marketmen said continued buying by vanaspati mills to meet rising demand from retailers against tight stocks position on restricted supplies from producing belts mainly attributed the rise in select edible oil prices.
Meanwhile, vegetable oil import is estimated to increase by 9.51 per cent to 160 lakh tonnes (LT) during 2015-16 oil year ending October, due to lower oilseeds production and higher demand for edible oils.
In the national capital, groundnut mill delivery (Gujarat) oil remained in demand and advanced by Rs 100 to Rs 9,500 per quintal.
Mustard expeller (Dadri) and cottonseed mill delivery (Haryana) oils gained Rs 50 and Rs 100 to Rs 8,100 and Rs 5,800 per quintal, respectively.
Sesame mill delivery oil which remained steady for the major part of week, found buying support from retailers at the fag-end and finished higher by Rs 100 to Rs 6,800 per quintal.
In line with overall trend, palmolein (RBD) and palmolein (Kandla) oils also edged up Rs 50 each to Rs 5,700 and Rs 5,650 per quintal, respectively.
Soyabean refined mill delivery (Indore) and soyabean degum (Kandla) oils too finished higher by a similar margin to Rs 6,650 and Rs 6,350 per quintal, respectively.
In the non-edible section, linseed oil moved up by Rs 50 to Rs 9,250 per quintal on pick up in demand from paint units.
Castor oil traded higher by Rs 50 to Rs 9,450-9,550 per quintal due to increased industrial offtake.
Grains: In restricted activity, wheat prices dropped at
the wholesale grains market during the week due to reduced offtake by flour mills against adequate stocks position.
However, other bold grains showed a mixed trend in restricted activity.
Traders said reduced offtake by flour mills against sufficient stocks position mainly kept pressure on wheat prices.
However, reports of damage to the crop in some parts of Punjab as well as Haryana due to recent unseasonal rain and hailstorm capped the fall, they said.
In the national capital, wheat dara (for mills) slipped to Rs 1,700-1,705 from previous week's level of Rs 1,720-1,725 per quintal. Atta chakki delivery followed suit and eased to Rs 1,705-1,710 per 90 kg.
Atta flour mills, maida and sooji too ended lower at Rs 865-875, Rs 950-960 and Rs 1,020-1,030 from previous week's close of Rs 900-910, Rs 980-990 and Rs 1,030-1,040 per 50 kg, respectively on easing demand.
On the other hand, other bold grains such as jowar yellow and white rose by Rs 50 and Rs 100 to Rs 1,800-1,900 and Rs 3,400-3,500 per quintal, respectively. Bajra edged up by Rs 5 to Rs 1,575-1,580 per quintal.
However, maize and barley moved down to Rs 1,690-1,700 and Rs 1,350-1,360 as compared to last levels of Rs 1,725-1,730 and Rs 1,360-1,370 per quintal, respectively.
Meanwhile, rice basmati common and Pusa-1121 variety moved in a narrow range in limited deals and finally settled steady at last week's level of Rs 5,300-5,400 and Rs 4,100-5,100 per quintal, respectively.
Pulses: In a brief five-day holiday-shortened week, prices
of gram and moong drifted at the wholesale pulses market owing to slackened demand from retailers at prevailing levels.
However, other pulses after moving in a narrow range on alternate bouts of buying or selling, settled at last levels.
Marketmen said besides easing demand from retailers at existing levels, adequate stocks position on higher supplies from producing regions pulled down gram and moong prices.
In the national capital, gram, gram dal local and best quality eased to Rs 4,600-5,100, Rs 4,820-5,120 and Rs 5,150-5,350 from last close of Rs 4,850-5,250, Rs 5,050-5,350 and Rs 5,350-5,550 per quintal, respectively.
Moong and its dal chilka local also met with resistance and slipped to Rs 6,950-7,500 and Rs 7,350-7,750 from previous week's close of Rs 7,100-7,650 and Rs 7,550-7,950 per quintal, respectively.
Its dal dhoya local and best quality followed suit and enquired lower by Rs 200 each to Rs 7,750-8,250 and Rs 8,250-8,450 per quintal, respectively.
On the other hand, arhar and its dal dara variety moved in narrow range in limited deals before ending at previous levels of Rs 7,900 and Rs 11,100-12,800 per quintal, respectively.
Urad and its dal chilka local also traded in a tight range on little doing and finished at last levels of Rs 9,200-11,500 and Rs 10,000-10,200 per quintal, respectively.
Its dal best quality and dhoya followed suit and closed steady at Rs 10,100-10,700 and Rs 10,500-10,900 per quintal, respectively.
Rajmah chitra and moth too ended flat at Rs 5,100-6,400 and Rs 5,500-5,900 per quintal, respectively.
Sugar: Sugar saw continuous rise in its prices for the
second straight week at the wholesale market in the national capital, buoyed by pause in supplies from mills along with strong buying by stockists as well as bulk consumers, and recorded significant gains up to Rs 130 per quintal.
In addition, reports of a firming trend in global markets supported by sugar deficit and strengthening of Brazilian currency, supported the rising trend in sweetener prices at the domestic markets here.
Meanwhile, sugar prices rose by around Rs 235 per quintal during two straight weeks on strong demand.
Marketmen said restricted supplies from mills, fuelled up by speculative buying by stockists and bulk consumers to meet approaching summer season demand, mainly kept sugar prices higher.
Sugar ready M-30 and S-30 prices jumped from last week's close of Rs 3,500-3,600 and Rs 3,490-3,590 to settle the week at Rs 3,625-3,725 and Rs 3,615-3,715.
In similar manner, sugar ready M-30 and S-30 prices climbed to settle the week at Rs 3,320-3,430 and Rs 3,310-3,420 as compared to previous week's close of Rs 3,240-3,300 and Rs 3,230-3,290.
In the millgate section, sugar Kinnoni spurted by Rs 130 to end at Rs 3,430, followed by Mawana, Asmoli, Dorala and Dhanora by Rs 120 each to Rs 3,360, Rs 3,400, Rs 3,370 and Rs 3,360 per quintal.
Sugar Khatuli, Dhampur, Simbholi were also up by Rs 110 each to Rs 3,400, Rs 3,350 and Rs 3,400, while Malakpur, Budhana, Thanabhavan gained by Rs 100 each to Rs 3,350, Rs 3,360 and Rs 3,350 per quintal.
In tune with overall trend, prices of Nazibabad, Anupshaher, Ramala, Baghpat, Chandpur, Morna and Sakoti advanced by Rs 80 each to Rs 3,330, Rs 3,320, Rs 3,330, Rs 3,340, Rs 3,330, Rs 3,340 and Rs 3,330 per quintal, respectively.
Jaggery: The wholesale gur (Jaggery) market extended its
upward journey for yet another week with prices gaining by up to Rs 100 per quintal in the national capital during the week under review on continued buying by stockists and retailers amid a firming trend in sugar prices.
Muzaffarnagar gur markets also displayed a firm trend and gur khurpa prices rose by Rs 50 per quintal during the week.
Marketmen attributed the rise in gur prices to an upward trend in sugar prices coupled with speculative buying by stockists and retailers.
Besides, fall in arrivals from manufacturing belts due to bad weather conditions too influenced sentiments, they added.
In Delhi, gur pedi prices were higher by Rs 100 to finish at Rs 2,900-3,000 per quintal.
However, gur Dhayya, Chakku and Shakkar prices maintained at last week's closing levels on some support at Rs 3,000-3,100, Rs 2,800-2,900 and Rs 3,000-3,100 per quintal.
In Muzaffarnagar, gur Khurpa prices attracted the buyers due to paucity of stocks and gained Rs 50 per quintal during the week to finish at Rs 2,500-2,550 per quintal.
Meanwhile, gur Chakku and Laddoo prices ruled flat throughout the week at Rs 2,450-2,600 and Rs 2,500-2,600 per quintal.
Prices of gur Raskat after hovering in a little range, closed at last week's closing levels of Rs 2,400-2,450 per quintal.
In Muradnagar, prices of gur pedi and Dhayya remained unaltered at previous week's closing levels of Rs 2,550-2,600 and Rs 2,600-2,650 per quintal on sporadic demand.
Dry Fruits: Almond and pistachio prices drifted at the
wholesale dry fruits market during the week under review due to subdued demand at prevailing levels against adequate stocks in the market.
Increased offerings by stockists coupled with higher arrivals from overseas markets also weighed on prices of select dry fruits.
Marketmen said sentiment weakened largely following fall in demand due to off-season, leading to a fall in prices.
Almond california drifted by Rs 700 to conclude at Rs 14,500-14,700 per 40 kgs and its kernel also eased by Rs 20 to finish at Rs 525-535 per kg.
Almond (gurbandi and girdhi) prices declined by up to Rs 200 to Rs 10,000-10,200 and Rs 5,700-6,000 per 40 kg, respectively.
Copra prices eased by Rs 300 to finish at Rs 10,500-13,500 per quintal.
Pistachio Irani and peshawari prices fell up to Rs 50 to end at Rs 1,100-1,150 and Rs 1,225-1,325 per kg, respectively.
In line with a general weak trend, walnut and its kernel prices also declined by Rs 5 each to end at Rs 200-375 and Rs 720-1,000 per kg.
On the other hand cashew kernel (No 180, 210, 240 and 230) prices rose up to Rs 20 to settle at Rs 760-765, Rs 660-665, Rs 630-640 and Rs 580-590 and its kernel broken (2 and 4 pieces) also higher by Rs 10 each to close at Rs 520-585 and Rs 520-590 per kg, respectively.
Kishmish Indian yellow and green prices went up by Rs 100 each to end at Rs 3,000-4,000 and Rs 4,500-9,000 per 40 kg, respectively.
Kirana: Black pepper and jeera prices rose at wholesale
kirana market during the week on increased buying by retailers and stockists against restricted arrivals from producing regions.
Traders said increased offtake by local parties and stockists amid a firm trend in most spices in futures trading buoyed the trading sentiments.
Pick-up in exports demand also influenced select spice prices, they added.
Black pepper prices rose by Rs 20 to conclude at Rs 670-865 per kg on brisk buying by exporters amid tight supplies from Karnataka.
Cardamom small varieties such as chitridar, colour robin, bold and extra bold surged by Rs 5 each to conclude at Rs 500-625, Rs 525-535, Rs 560-570 and Rs 600-610 per kg, respectively.
Prices of cloves spurted by Rs 10 to close at Rs 560-680 per kg in view of tight supply amid higher demand.
Chirounji prices were higher by Rs 10 to finish at Rs 580-685 per kg.
Mace -- red and yellow -- rose by Rs 15 each to end at Rs 750-1,06- and Rs 1,060-1,070 per kg, respectively.
Poppyseed (Turkey, China and MP-RAJ) increased by Rs 10 each to finish at Rs 330-360, Rs 330-350 and Rs 350-390 per kg, respectively.
Red chilli and turmeric prices rose up to Rs 500 to close at Rs 10,000-19,000 and Rs 10,100-13,800 per quintal, respectively.
Jeera -- common and best quality -- also rose up to Rs 800 to conclude at Rs 15,800-16,000 and Rs 17,700-18,200 per quintal in view of restricted arrivals from producing belts amid pick-up in domestic and export demand.
Bullion: Trading could not resume at the bullion market during the week as a large number of jewellers and bullion traders across the country continued their strike in protest against the proposed 1 per cent excise duty on non-silver jewellery, despite the government constituting a panel to look into their demand.
All India Bullion, Jewellers, Swarankar Federation (AIBJSF), which had organised a big rally at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital on March 17, is continuing their strike, though three major associations -- GJF, ABJA and GJEPC -- had called off strike last Saturday after the government's assurance that there would be no 'Inspector Raj'.
Meanwhile, the government has constituted a panel under former Chief Economic Advisor Ashok Lahri to look into the demands of jewellers.
The panel, which has been asked to submit its report in 60 days, will look into issues related to compliance procedure for the excise duty, including records to be maintained, forms to be filled, operating procedures and other relevant issues.
The government in the Budget for 2016-17 had proposed 1 per cent excise duty on jewellery without input credit or 12.5 per cent with input tax credit on jewellery excluding silver other than studded with diamonds and some other precious stones.
