Unconfirmed reports indicate that the commodity exchange's building at Rajkot has collapsed. Rajkot is one of the key nerve centres, of both the official as also the unofficial trade in castorseeds and oil.

Thus, the earthquake has sent the thriving edible oils and oilseeds trading in a state of coma. Following the quake, authorities of the ACE are said to have permitted trading, only to square off their existing deals on the basis of last Thursday's closing rates, while not permitting any fresh deals in the current uncertain conditions.

In today's thin trade, the castoroil was quoted lower at Rs 298 per 10 kg against Thursday's closing of Rs 300 per 10 kg. In castorseeds, there was no trading as the exchange awaited formal clearance of trading, in the April 2001 futures contracts from the Forward Markets Commission (FMC). Trading in the February 2001 is almost over and the delivery period for the traded February 2001 contract commences from February 1, 2001.

Last Saturday, the BOOE had appealed its members to contribute ``whatever they can'' for the quake hit victims in Gujarat. On the same day, contributions of around Rs 3-4 lakh is said to have been collected, and ``we hope to collect around Rs 25 lakh within a week's time'', said a top BOOE source. So, even as help from all the possible quarters is flooding into Gujarat, the oilseeds trading community in Mumbai have joined hands to help their brethren in Gujarat. Around 100 cars and trucks will leave Mumbai today to help with the quake hit victims in Gujarat.

``We have earned our fortunes from the land,'' said BOOE director Kushal Thakker. ``and it is up to us to make available all possible help in the current critical times.''