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Rupee slips below 90 amid tariff pressure and capital outflowsMumbai: The Indian rupee on Wednesday slipped below the key psychological mark of 90 against the US dollar, extending its downward trend of the past eight months. Persistent dollar outflows linked to trade and investments, along with companies rushing to hedge against further depreciation, have weighed heavily on the currency.The rupee has emerged as one of Asia’s weaker performers this year, declining करीब 5% against the dollar. Steep US tariffs—reportedly up to 50% on certain Indian goods—have dented exports to its largest market, reducing the appeal of Indian equities for foreign investors.Notably, the currency has depreciated from 85 to 90 in less than a year—much faster than its earlier move from 80 to 85—highlighting the growing pressure.Foreign portfolio outflows have been significant, with investors pulling out nearly $17 billion from Indian equities so far this year. Alongside this, foreign direct investment (FDI) has also weakened. Although gross inflows touched $6.6 billion in September, large exits from IPO investments by private equity and venture capital firms have led to net outflows.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) noted that net FDI turned negative for the second consecutive month in September, mainly due to increased outward investments and repatriation.India’s trade deficit also widened sharply, driven by higher gold imports and elevated US tariffs, adding further strain on the rupee. Additionally, inflows from external borrowings and NRI deposits have slowed.Market participants say every phase of rupee depreciation—including the breach of the 90 mark—has triggered fresh dollar demand from importers, while exporters have held back dollar sales. This imbalance has left the currency vulnerable amid insufficient capital inflows.Experts suggest that a gradual weakening of the rupee can act as a natural stabilizer for the economy under higher tariff conditions.Ongoing uncertainty around India-US trade talks has further disrupted forex markets, increasing hedging activity by importers while exporters remain cautious, forcing the RBI to manage volatility.Despite intermittent interventions by the central bank, sustained dollar demand and capital outflows continue to exert pressure. RBI’s efforts are reflected in declining forex reserves and a rise in forward dollar positions, which recently touched a five-month high of $63.4 billion.

Punjab : 60% cotton brought to Punjab mandis sold below support price: DataBathinda : Nearly 61% of the cotton that arrived in Punjab's grain markets this year was bought below the minimum support price (MSP), with some stocks being sold for as low as Rs 3,000 per quintal, according to data shared by the Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board.The MSP for cotton's medium stape is Rs 7,710 per quintal and long staple is Rs 8,110 per quintal. The cotton that is usually grown in Punjab has an MSP of Rs 8,010 per quintal.Cotton purchase season starts on Oct 1 every year. This year, cotton arrivals also fell sharply in the state, from 5.4 lakh quintals last year to 2.3 lakh quintals this time around.Of these 2.3 lakh qunitals, 35,348 quintals of cotton was bought by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) and 1.95 lakh quintals by private traders. In all, 1.4 lakh quintals of cotton was purchased below MSP. The crop fetched a maximum price of Rs 7,860 per quintal and a minimum as low as Rs 3,000 per quintal.Cotton was grown on 1.19 lakh hectares of land in Punjab this year, but the crop was damaged due to floods in some areas. Last year, cotton was grown on 99,700 hectares.India Habit Index 2025 | Expert Opinions on Daily HabitsHowever, after the massive whitefly attack on the crop in 2015, cotton growing started losing its sheen in Punjab and reduced to as low as close to only 1 lakh hectares.CCI introduced an app from the 2025-26 season for transparency, naming it the Kapas Kisan app, making it mandatory for cotton purchases. Many farmers initially struggled to register on the Aadhar-based registration app, due to which CCI stayed away from making purchases in the initial part of the season. Farmers are required to upload valid land records and details of cotton-sowing areas certified by revenue or agriculture authorities. Farmers could go for self-registration on their mobiles.CCI informed all the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) about the new digital registration process. Officials from CCI, not wanting to be named, stated that the corporation is making purchases with moisture content within limits from those farmers who registered through the Kapas Kisan app, and the records were verified by the state govt officials.read more :- Rupee opens 09 paise down at 89.96

 Rupee opens 09 paise down at 89.96 on persistent dollar demandThe rupee opened at 89.96 against the US dollar after ending the previous session at 89.87.read more :- CCI begins cotton procurement at Pavijetpur - relief to farmers

CCI begins cotton procurement in Pavijetpur: Farmers get relief at ₹8,069 per quintalThe Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has begun cotton procurement in Pavijetpur, Chhota Udaipur district. Procurement at the support price has officially begun at Hariom Ginning.CCI has just begun cotton procurement at ₹8,069 per quintal. Farmers expect good returns on their crops at this price, leading to widespread happiness.To streamline the procurement process and maintain order, farmers are required to book a slot in advance. Only after booking a slot will their cotton be purchased by CCI. This arrangement will reduce the wait time for farmers and simplify the process.Considering the hard work and expense of cotton cultivation, the price of ₹8,069 announced this year is considered good compared to previous years. However, farmers still hope for better prices from the state and central governments.The start of procurement by CCI is likely to improve the economic condition of local farmers and have a positive impact on the market.read more :- CCI begins cotton procurement in Jesar taluka, farmers will get MSP price

Gujarat: CCI begins cotton procurement in Jesar taluka: Farmers will receive fair prices under MSPThe Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has begun the cotton procurement process in areas including Jesar taluka. This procurement is being carried out under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme announced by the government, and farmers are flocking to CCI procurement centers to sell their cotton.The primary objective of this procurement is to ensure that farmers receive a fair price for their produce and eliminate market price uncertainty. CCI is purchasing cotton at the government-determined rate.Payment will be made to farmers after the completion of the cotton weighing, quality checking, and other necessary procedures.As soon as the cotton procurement has begun, an atmosphere of happiness and satisfaction is being felt among the farmers in the area.read more :- Rupee closed down by 17 paisa at 89.87 per dollar

The Indian rupee closed 17 paisa lower at 89.87 per dollar on Tuesday, compared to its opening price of 89.70 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was down 503.63 points or 0.59 percent at 85,138.27, and the Nifty was down 143.55 points or 0.55 percent at 26,032.20. About 1518 shares advanced, 2453 shares declined, and 158 shares unchanged.read more :- Great news for Telangana farmers

Good news for Telangana farmers... the green light has been given.The cotton procurement deadlock in Telangana has been resolved. With the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) relaxing regulations, procurement resumed at the state's 330 ginning mills on Monday. The initiative of Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has resolved this issue and provided farmers with the opportunity to receive the support price.Good news for Telangana's cotton farmers. The impasse regarding cotton procurement at ginning mills in the state has been completely resolved. Due to new regulations implemented by the Cotton Chamber of India (CCI), farmers and ginning mill owners were facing significant difficulties due to the lack of procurement permits. The Ginning Millers Association had previously staged a strike over this issue. Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has taken special initiative on behalf of the state government to resolve this issue. He held discussions with the Chairman and Managing Director of the CCI, as well as with Union Ministers.As a result of these discussions, a positive response was received from the CCI. Consequently, cotton procurement resumed on Monday at all 330 CCI-notified ginning mills across the state. Ravinder Reddy, President of the Ginning Millers Association, expressed his satisfaction that Minister Tummala's initiative in resolving this issue has greatly benefited farmers and mill owners. He specifically thanked Minister Tummala for his initiative to resume procurement. Ravinder Reddy explained that this decision will not only boost cotton procurement but also provide farmers with a support price.The resumption of procurement has cleared the way for farmers to sell their cotton. So far, the CCI has procured 4.03 lakh tons of cotton in the state. This volume is expected to increase further with the current resumption of procurement. The resumption of ginning mills will increase demand for cotton and create an opportunity for price stabilization in the market. The resolution of this impasse has brought a sigh of relief to cotton farmers. They hope to receive a fair support price for their crop and expedite the procurement process. They say this decision will help ensure a smooth, uninterrupted cotton procurement process in the state.read more :- Bangladesh: Farmers hope for profits from growing cotton cultivation in Jashore

Bangladesh : Rising cotton farming in Jashore fuels farmers’ hopes for higher returnsBangladesh continues to rely heavily on imported cotton to meet domestic demand, as local production remains far below the required level. To address this gap, the government has introduced a range of initiatives to expand cotton cultivation nationwide.Farmers in the region are expecting a bumper harvest this season, supported by favourable weather conditions and low pest infestation. Many growers reported that cotton remains a highly profitable crop, often generating three to four times the production cost.Through the Cotton Development Board (CDB), farmers have been provided with incentives such as seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides to enhance production.These measures, coupled with conducive weather, have contributed to a notable expansion of cotton farming in the region. However, farmers emphasised the need to revise the government-fixed price to ensure better profitability and encourage further expansion.According to official data, cotton was cultivated on 19,200 hectares in the Jashore zone during the 2024–25 fiscal year.This year, the cultivation area increased to 20,000 hectares across Jashore, Kushtia, Jhenaidah, and Chuadanga districts. In Jashore alone, 13,000 farmers cultivated cotton on 390 hectares. A total of 2,600 farmers in the zone received government incentives.Saiful Islam, a cotton farmer from Raghunathnagar in Jhikargacha upazila, said it costs Tk14,000–18,000 to cultivate one bigha. “After expenses, we are able to make Tk30,000–40,000 profit per bigha. That is why we continue growing cotton,” he said.Aminur Rahman, another farmer from the area, said he cultivated cotton on 22 decimals this year. “From the government incentive package, I received DAP, potash, urea, seeds, and pesticides. This support was very helpful. With favourable weather and fewer pests, yields have been excellent,” he said.Shahidul Islam, who inherited the practice from his father, said cotton cultivation takes about eight months to complete. “The government has fixed the price at Tk4,000 per maund. But considering the long cultivation period, the price should be increased to better benefit farmers,” he said, adding that buyers usually purchase cotton directly from the fields, saving farmers the cost and inconvenience of transporting the crop to markets.Jashore’s Chief Cotton Development Officer, Mizanur Rahman, said 2,600 farmers in the zone received incentives this year. “Interest in cotton cultivation has grown significantly. We expect higher yields compared to previous years. There are currently 13,000 cotton farmers in the zone, and our target is to increase this to 15,000,” he said.He noted that the CDB and the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) are jointly promoting hybrid varieties and modern seedling technologies to expand cultivation nationwide. “The majority of the country’s cotton is produced in the Jashore region. Since cotton is an internationally traded commodity, domestic prices are aligned with global markets. There is no scope for syndication,” he added.Mosharraf Hossain, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Jashore, said cotton has gained popularity due to its high profitability. “Government incentives have greatly benefited farmers. The quality of cotton produced in this region is excellent,” he said.CDB Executive Director Rezaul Amin said cotton cultivation now spans 20,000 hectares across the Jashore–Kushtia–Jhenaidah–Chuadanga belt. “A significant portion of the national incentive budget is allocated to this zone. We are providing training, mechanisation support, and high-quality seeds. This season, Tk17 crore in incentives was distributed nationwide, most of which went to farmers in this region,” he said.Public Service Commission member Prof ASM Golam Hafiz expressed concern that cotton is not included in the agricultural loan policy. “Cotton is a vital cash crop for our economy. The readymade garment sector contributes 83–85% of export earnings, yet we import almost all the cotton required. Domestic production accounts for only about 2% of demand,” he said, urging the government to introduce a dedicated loan facility for cotton farmers.read more :- Rupee open Falls 15 Paise to 89.70/USD

 Rupee opens 15 paise down at 89.70 against dollarIndian rupee opened lower at 89.70 per dollar on tuesday against previous close of 89.55.read more :- Rupee fell 12 paise to close at 89.55 per dollar

The Indian rupee on monday lower 12  paise to close at 89.55 per dollar, while it opened at 89.43 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was down 64.77 points or 0.08 percent at 85,641.90, and the Nifty was down 27.20 points or 0.10 percent at 26,175.75. About 1783 shares advanced, 2288 shares declined, and 183 shares unchanged.read more :- India reduces long-term soy purchases

India makes rare long-term soy purchases to secure cheap supplyIndian buyers have secured large purchases of soybean oil for the four months to July, a rare move in anticipation of rising prices of rival palm oil.Traders have locked in more than 150,000 tons of South American soybean oil for each month from April to July 2026, said Aashish Acharya, vice president at Patanjali Foods Ltd., one of the country’s top vegetable-oil buyers. The unusual buying was driven by soy’s average $20- to $30-a-ton discount to palm during that period, he added. Soy oil typically trades at a premium to palm oil.The rush reflects market expectations that palm prices will rise on top producer Indonesia’s plans to blend more palm oil into biofuel starting in the second half of next year. Unlike soybean, sunflower, or rapeseed oil, palm is harvested year-round and is the world’s most-abundantly available vegetable oil, which usually makes it the cheaper option.“This is a considerably huge coverage in the forward months as the market is sensing palm shortages next year due to lesser production and more usage when B50 in Indonesia is rolled out,” said Mayur Toshniwal, president and head of trading at Emami Agrotech Ltd., an Indian vegetable oil and biodiesel processor.Indian buyers have been making forward purchases of soybean oil as a hedge against Indonesia’s B50 policy, Budiman Suwardi, head of treasury and markets at Prime EcoHarvest Commodities, confirmed. “If Indonesia’s government suddenly pushed for the B50 to be implemented in the second half of next year, it might push palm prices higher due to lack of supply for exports,” he said.Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil exporter, plans to expand its biodiesel mandate from 40% to 50% in late 2026 to cut fuel imports. The move is likely to soak up exportable supplies, tightening global markets and pushing up prices. Officials are weighing a partial rollout of B50, only for the public sector, reflecting concerns over potential supply bottlenecks.Alongside hedging against Indonesia’s biodiesel policy, traders are also bracing for potentially tighter sunflower oil supplies as poorer Black Sea and European crops threaten to curb output this season, according to Anilkumar Bagani, head of research at Mumbai-based Sunvin Group.Sunflower oil shipments from the Black Sea region are priced $230- to $250-a-ton higher than South American soybean oil for delivery in the four months through July 2026, Acharya said. He added that soybean oil cargoes for December and January are as much as $110 a ton more expensive than the forward purchases that traders have booked.Still, every ton of palm oil currently remains about $90–$100 cheaper than soybean oil, underscoring a pricing divergence and prompting cost-sensitive Indian traders to shift toward palm in the near-term, Acharya said. He added that some buyers have canceled soy oil import cargoes worth 25,000–35,000 tons as domestic prices are roughly $50 lower per ton.That means overall demand for soybean oil imports has been muted despite the winter season, said Toshniwal of Emami. Buyers prefer soy oil in colder temperatures, which cause palm oil to solidify.read more:- Eye on China purchases, Chicago soybean and wheat-corn weak