Raw leather prices edged up on the local leather market here today following fresh emergence of buying and closed with fresh moderate gains. Fresh enquiries from the leather exporters manufacturing units also aided the market sentiment. However, treated leather prices remained unaltered from their previous levels on lack of follow- up support. In the raw leather section, goat salted and unsalted skin prices registered a fresh rise of Rs five each to close at Rs 70-75 and Rs 85-95 respectively. Sheep unsalted skin prices also moved up by Rs 15 to Rs 140 while salted was traded at the previous mark of Rs 100-105 respectively.

Select mill gate prices slip

In steady to easy sugar market, titabi and sakoti mill gate sugar prices dropped on the local sugar market here today due to selling by millers and closed with sharp losses. Lower upcountry advices also dampened the market sentiment, dealers said. However, Delhi wholesale market, sugar prices peggedaround overnight levels on lack of demand. Among the mill gate section, titabi and sakoti sugar prices dipped sharply to Rs 1,390 and Rs 1,380 from the previous levels of Rs 1,430 and Rs 1,400 per quintal respectively owing to slackened demand.

IARI to show high-yielding varieties

Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) will demonstrate high yielding varieties (HYVS) of various crops on the institute research farm during the annual "Krishi Vigyan Mela", beginning on March 18. During the three-day event, new agricultural technologies including bio-technology will be displayed, an IARI release said. The fair would also witness farmer-scientist discussions, consumer education, sale of improved seeds, equipment and plant materials and distribution of latest farm literature. The theme of the event is "Agriculture For Exports". Existing and potential opportunities for agricultural export will be displayed in the thematic pandal.

CCI to buy entire cotton produce

The entire cotton producewill be purchased by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) from the farmers solely with the view to save them from distress, the union textiles minister Kashiram Rana said. The government took this decision because it wanted to help the cotton-growing farmers, who would be given remunerative prices for their produce, he added.

Consequently, CCI has been instructed to purchase entire and all variety of cotton produce from the farmers. The union textiles minister said that the support price for sankar six hybrid variety of cotton has been fixed at Rs 2,100 per quintal from the existing Rs 1,670 per quintal. Rana said that besides the government was working towards increasing the cotton export and the export target in the current financial year was fixed at 5,00,000 cotton bales. The minister also informed that the Rs 600-crore cotton technology mission, which aimed at increasing the per hectare yield of cotton, will become effective from April 1, 1999. Tea offerings meet good demandA good general demand waswitnessed for the offerings made at the tea auctions in Coonoor on March 4 and March 5. The offerings consisted of 12,20,732 kg of CTC leaf, 81,848 kg of CTC dust, 23,297 kg of orthodox leaf and 43,586 kg of orthodox dust. The prices realised for orthodox brokens were about steady except the stalky residuals which were easier. Among the CTC teas on offer, FP and pekoe grades realised prices were Rs 2 to Rs 3 easier. Bolder brokens like SBOP were one rupee to Rs 2 lower. Prices for the BOPS were about steady. Smaller brokens like BP and SBP realised prices which were fully firm and occasionally upto Re 1 dearer.

Groundnut oil flares up

Groundnut oil prices flared up while other oils also firmed up on the oilseeds and oils market in Mumbai. Among edible oils, groundnut oil rose sharply on brisk local demand from refiners and vanaspati manufacturers amidst poor arrivals from the producing regions. Imported palm oil also shot up sharply on good local offtake in the absence of arrivals through imports.In the industrial sector, castor oil firmed up on renewed enquiries from shippers.

--Reuters and agencies