Over one lakh tonne pulses, 2.6 lakh tonne edible oils imported

New Delhi, Aug 1 (UNI) The Public Sector Units (PSUs) have imported 1.25 lakh tonnes of pulses so far, out of their total import requirement of 15 lakh tonnes during the current financial year.

They have also imported 2.60 lakh tonnes of edible oil from its total import limit of 10 lakh tonnes.

The retail prices of farm commodities monitored by the Department of Consumer Affairs at different locations have remained steady or shown mixed trend over the week ending July 31 this year.

Prices of wheat remained steady at all reporting centers except an increase at Hyderabad and decrease at Mumbai and Patna.

Sugar prices remained steady at all the reporting centers except for an increase at Lucknow, Jaipur, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram.

Rates of gram dal remained steady except for an increase at Jaipur, Mumbai, Patna and Bangalore and decrease at Chennai.

Prices of tur dal remained steady at all reporting centers except for an increase at Lucknow, Jaipur, Mumbai, Patna and Hyderabad and decrease at Delhi.

In Delhi, prices of gram dal and sugar held steady for one week and prices of rice and vanaspati held steady for one month.

Prices of wheat, atta, groundnut oil, milk and salt held steady during the last six months, while prices of mustard oil, potato and onion increased but the prices of tur dal and tea decreased.

Contribution of food commodities to the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based rate of inflation for the week ending July 19, 2008 increased to 11.98 percent from previous week level of 11.89 per cent.

The total contribution of 14 essential commodities, which are having a composite weight of 14.37 per cent in the WPI basket, to the rate of inflation was 7.17 per cent as on July 19, 2008.

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