Copra surges on robust demand, pepper gains

Mumbai, Feb 7 (PTI) Copra prices shot up at the spicesmarket here today on emergence of heavy buying by stockistsand bulk traders coupled with strong demand from exporters.

Black pepper also firmed up on good domestic as well asoverseas demand.

Meanwhile, both the ginger varieties dropped owing tosubdued retail offtake amidst fresh arrivals.

Copra Rajapur Mumbai and copra edible Mumbai jumped byRs 300 per quintal each to Rs 8,900 and Rs 8,200 from lastSaturday''s closing level of Rs 8,600 and Rs 7,900.

Copra office Alapuzha rose by Rs 250 per quintal to Rs7,050 as against Rs 6,800 and copra office Kozhikode went upby Rs 225 per quintal to Rs 6,850 as compared to Rs 6,625previously.

Black pepper moved up by Rs 4 per kilo to Rs 245/258 fromRs 241/254.

However, ginger bleached and unbleached fell by Rs 20 perkilo each to Rs 160 and Rs 190 from last weekend''s closinglevel of Rs 180 and Rs 210 respectively.

Following are today''s closing rates in Rs, with theprevious rates in brackets:

Black pepper (per kg) 241/254 (245/258), ginger bleached(per kg) 180 (160), ginger unbleached (per kg) 210 (190),copra office Alapuzha (per quintal) 7,050 (6,800), copraoffice Kozhikode (per quintal) 6,850 (6,625), copra RajapurMumbai (per quintal) 8,900 (8,600) and copra edible Mumbai(per quintal) 8,200 (7,900).