NEW DELHI, Jan 23:  The total turnover of India’s packaging industry, which is growing at about 15 per cent, is expected to touch USD 32 billion by 2020 on increasing demand.
“Indian packaging industry is growing at the rate of 13-15 per cent annually. The total turnover of the industry is about USD 24.6 billion. It is expected that by 2020, the turnover will reach USD 32 billion,” Director of the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) N C Saha told PTI.
He added however that the industry is facing challenges in dealing with the solid waste generated by the product.
“In India the major challenges is to tackle the packaging solid waste management in a proper manner. The consumption of packaging is growing which is leading to the accumulation of solid waste,” Saha said.
He suggested that the government involve stakeholders, including NGOs, along with municipality to deal with the situation.
“It would be appropriate to formulate a policy by way of involving all the stakeholders and also fix responsibilities to tackle this challenge,” he added.
The institute was set up in May 1966 by the Ministry of Commerce to improve the standards of packaging needed for the promotion of exports and also to help improve the domestic industry through research and development activities.
Saha said the institute is planning to commence degree courses, B.Tech and M.Tech in packaging technology and management. “It is expected that the courses will commence from the academic year 2016.”
He added that the institute is expected to get the status of deemed university.
“Once, the institute gets the recognition as a deemed university, it will open up the opportunity for the youngsters to upgrade their academic qualification by way of pursuing B.Tech and M.Tech in packaging technology and management,” Saha said.
The students will also have an option to take the research work to pursue the Ph.D in the field of packaging, he added. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, Jan 23:  Pistachio prices rose by Rs 5 per kg in the national capital today largely on the back of increased buying by retailers and stockists amid low stocks.
Pistachio hairati and peshwari rose Rs 5 each to conclude at Rs 1,355-1,455 and Rs 1,505-1,605 per kg, respectively.
Marketmen said fresh buying by retailers and stockists against fall in supplies from overseas markets, mainly pushed up pistachio prices at the dry-fruit market here.
The following are today’s quotations (per 40 kg):
Almond (California) Rs 18,200 Almond (Gurbandi-new) Rs 8,200-8,500; Almond (Girdhi) Rs 4,200-4,500; Abjosh Afghani Rs 8,000-22,000.
Almond Kernel (California-new) Rs 625-650 per kg, Almond Kernel (Gurbandi-new) Rs 500-550 per kg. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, Jan 23:  Coriander and kalaunji prices rose Rs 200 per quintal in the national capital today on fresh buying by retailers and stockists amid low stocks.
Fall in supplies from producing belts also supported the upside in prices.
Coriander and kalaunji prices rose by Rs 200 each to settle at Rs 7,400-12,400 and Rs 8,700-10,000 per quintal, respectively.
Traders said buying support from retailers and stockists against fall in supplies from producing belts pushed up coriander and kalaunji prices at the wholesale kirana market here.
The following are today’s quotations per quintal:
Ajwain 13,500-18,500, black pepper (per kg) 550-680, betel-nut (kg) 180-200, cardamom brown-Jhundiwali (kg) 1,000-1,100 and cardamom brown-Kanchicut (kg) 1,150-1,290.
Cardamom small (kg): Chitridar 680-780, cardamom (colour robin) 630-730, cardamom bold 680-730, cardamom extra (bold) 830-930 and cloves (kg) 850-900. ( PTI)

NEW DELHI, Jan 23:  Select edible oil prices strengthened by Rs 50 per quintal at the oils and oilseeds market today on sustained buying by vanaspati millers for the marriage season amid a firming global trend.
However, non-edible oils moved in a narrow range in scattered deals and settled around previous levels.
Marketmen said sustained buying by vanaspati millers for the marriage season amid a firming global trend where palm oil traded near the highest level in more than two weeks on speculation that a weakening ringgit may bolster prospects for exports from Malaysia, mainly boosted the sentiment.
Meanwhile, palm oil rose 0.7 per cent to USD 778 a tonne on the Malaysia Derivatives Exchange.
In the national capital, palmolein (rbd) and palmolein (Kandla) oils advanced by Rs 50 each to Rs 6,450 and Rs 6,050, while crude palm oil (ex-kandla) traded higher by the same margin to Rs 5150 per quintal, respectively.
Soyabean refined mill delivery (Indore) and soyabean degum (Kandla) oils also added Rs 50 each to Rs 7,250 and Rs 6,950 per quintal, respectively. (MORE) (PTI)

NEW DELHI, Jan 23:  Menthol prices fell by Rs 5 per kg in the national capital today owing to reduced offtake by consuming units amid adequate stocks.
Increased arrivals from producing belts in Uttar Pradesh also weighed on menthol prices.
Menthol bold crystal, flake and mentha oil prices fell by Rs 5 each to settle at Rs 1,025, Rs 990 and Rs 880 per kg, respectively.
Traders said subdued demand from consuming industries against increased arrivals from producing belts mainly pulled down menthol prices at the wholesale chemical market here.
The following are today’s quotations:
Ammonium chloride (50 kg) Rs 1,200-2,400, Acetic acid (1 kg) Rs 67-77, Ammonia bicarb (25 kg) Rs 500-800, Boric acid technical (50 kg) Rs 4,500-5,000, Borex granular (50 kg) Rs 2,300-2,600.
Caustic soda flake (50 kg) Rs 2,000-2,100, Citric acid (50 kg) (China) Rs 3,800-4,200, Citric acid deshi (50 kg) Rs 3,800-4,500, Camphor slab (1 kg) Rs 455, Camphor powder (1kg) Rs 405, Glycerine (1 kg) Rs 120-180, Hexamine (1kg) Rs 95, Hydrogen peroxide (1 kg) Rs 40-50, menthol bold crystal (per kg) Rs 1,025, menthol flake (1 kg) Rs 990 and mentha oil (1kg) Rs 880. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, Jan 23:  Wheat prices fell by Rs 15 per quintal at the wholesale grains market today on increased supplies against reduced offtake by flour mills.
Traders said increased supplies against reduced offtake by flour mills mainly kept pressure on wheat prices.
In the national capital, wheat dara (for mills) fell by Rs 15 to Rs 1640-1645 per quintal. Atta chakki delivery followed suit and traded lower by the same margin to Rs 1645-1650 per 90 kg.
The following were today’s quotations per quintal:
Wheat MP (deshi) 2,070-2,270, Wheat dara (for mills) 1,640-1,645, Chakki atta (delivery) 1,645-1,650 Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) 220, Shakti bhog (10 kg) 220, Roller flour mill 885-895 (50 kg), Maida 950-970 (50 kg) and Sooji 990-1,020 (50kg).
Basmati rice (Lal Quila) 10,400, Shri Lal Mahal 10,000, Super Basmati Rice, 9,500, Basmati common new 8,800-9,100, Rice Pusa-(1121) new 8,200-8,700, Permal raw 2,100-2,200, Permal wand 2,275-2,300, Sela 2,950-2,975 and Rice IR-8- 1,875-1,900, Bajra 1,275-1,280, Jowar yellow 1,500-1,550, white 2,400-2,600, Maize 1,425-1,430, Barley 1,450-1,455, Rajasthan 1,080-1,090. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, Jan 23:  In restricted activity, gram and its dal rose by Rs 50 per quintal at the wholesale pulses market today on scattered local demand.
However, other pulses moved in a narrow range in limited deals and settled around previous levels.
Traders said scattered local demand helped gram and its dal prices to trade higher.
In the national capital, gram edged up to Rs 2,900-3,850 from previous level of Rs 2,900-3,800, while its dal local and best quality were traded higher by Rs 50 each to Rs 3,650-3,850 and Rs 3,850-3,950 per quintal, respectively.
Following are today’s pulses rates per quintal:
Urad 3,950-4,750, Urad Chilka (local) 5,500-5,700, best 5,700-6,300, Dhoya 6,000-6,400, Moong 6,000-7,200, Dal Moong Chilka local 7,100-7,500, Moong Dhoya local 7,300-7,400 and best quality 7,900-8,000.
Masoor small 4,400-4,650, bold 4,600-4,700, Dal Masoor local 5,300-5,400, best quality 5,350-5,450, Malka local 5,150-5,250, best 5,350-5,450, Moth 4,900-5,300, Arhar 4,250-4,350, Dal Arhar Dara 5,800-6,000.
Gram 2,900-3,850, Gram Dal (local) 3,650-3,850, best quality 3,850-3,950, Besan (35 kg) Shakti bhog 1,400, Rajdhani 1,400, Rajmah Chitra 7,300-11,000, Kabli Gram small 3,750-5,750, dabra 2,700-2,800, imported 4,700-5,100, Lobia 4,200-5,800, Peas white 2,900-2,950 and green 3,000-3,100. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, Jan 23:  Select base metals drifted up to Rs 5 per kg at the local non-ferrous base metals market today on stockists selling in tandem with a weak global trend.
Meanwhile, lead for delivery in three months slid 0.5 per cent to USD 2,185 a tonne on the London Metal Exchange.
Traders said stockists selling in line with a weak global trend after industrial metals retreated as manufacturing data from China, the world’s biggest consumer, fell below economists’ expectations, mainly influenced the sentiment.
In the national capital, lead ingot and lead imported were down by Rs 2 each to Rs 136 and Rs 134, while nickel (4×4) shed Rs 5 at Rs 1075-1076 per kg, respectively.
Lead ingot and lead imported were also traded higher by Rs 2 each to Rs 138 and Rs 136 per kg, respectively.
The following are today’s metal rates per kg:
Zinc ingot 117-123, nickel plate (4×4) 1,075-1,076 gun metal scrap 227, bell metal scrap 229, copper mixed scrap 437,chadri deshi 285.
Lead ingot 136,lead imported 134, aluminium ingots 150, Aluminium sheet cutting 151, aluminium wire scrap 153 and aluminium utensils scrap 150. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, Jan 23:  The government is working towards meeting the Rs 40,000 crore target it had set from selling off stake in state-owned firms in the current fiscal, Minister of State for Finance J D Seelam said today.
With barely two months to go before the 2013-14 fiscal ends, the government has so far garnered only about Rs 3,000 crore from PSU stake sale proceeds.
Unlikely to meet the ambitious disinvestment target, it is counting on higher dividends from PSUs and banks to keep its fiscal deficit under check.
“Still, we are on… March is far. We are doing our best. We can’t quantify (the amount how much will be met). The process is on,” Seelam told reporters on the sidelines of the Assocham summit on Non-Banking Finance Companies-Game Changers.
Addressing the conference, he said that NBFCs should play a bigger and a pivotal role in lending to the priority sector.
“Compared to the banks, you are closer to the people. You do recovery early. You should do more for MSME sector,” Seelam said, adding that there is also scope to see as to how NBFCs can play a role in lending to the sectors where banks are not interested or hesitant.
On growth, Seelam said it has to be exponential.
He also said that the government is committed to fiscal prudence. “We will not cross the red line of 4.8 per cent of fiscal deficit.” (PTI)