December 25: Tea exports continued to be buoyant during October with the shipments value crossing Rs 1,000 crore for the first seven months of the fiscal, the industry sources said. The country's total value of tea exports during the said six months was Rs 1,033 crore against Rs 758.52 crore fetched during the same period last year. The rise in value was 36 per cent, one per cent more than the increase during the first half. In terms of volume, the rise was 16 per cent with exports totalling 120.66 million kg during April-October against 104.42 million kg last year.

Cardamom prices take a beating at auctions: Cardamom prices continued to fetch lower prices at different auction centres in the country despite limited arrivals on poor demand from domestic traders. The volume sold this week slid to 12,44,131 kg from 15,23,556 kg sold during the corresponding period last year, while the average price slumped to Rs 261.86 a kg against last year's average price of Rs 383.93 a kg, auctioneers said.

Ahmedabad Textile Research Association plans: The Ahmedabad Textile Research Association (ATRA) is likely to conduct a fresh study on the exact consumption of loose cotton in the country following a demand from the textile sector, industry sources said. Loose cotton is not accounted for in the projections made by the Cotton Advisory Board which works out details of production and consumption in the country. Loose cotton is consumed by some textile mills in the small scale sector without the commodity being either pressed or ginned.

Rajasthan steps to boost industrial growth: Rajasthan government has constituted a board of infrastructure and investment' headed by chief minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat to boost industrial development in the state. Deputy chief minister Hari Shankar Bhabhra has been made the deputy chairman of the board which will consider schemes for strengthening and developing infrastructural facilities.

Exporters get a reprieve: The approaching Lok Sabha elections has forced the government to put on hold consideration of the report of an expert group that had sought to dilute the benefits available to exporters under Sections 80-HHC, 10A and 10B of the Income-Tax Act, 1961. As a result, exporters have earned a reprieve.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.