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• The sowing of summer crops in Gujarat fell 1.2% on year to 986,388 hectares as of Tuesday from 998,436 hectares sown in the corresponding period last year, according to a report released by the state agriculture department. Paddy acreage rose by 35.6% on year to 126,348 hectares from 93,152 hectares last year.The acreage under bajra fell to 209,767 hectares from 262,688 hectares a year ago, the report showed. Similarly, the area sown under maize was 6,710 hectares against 6,732 hectares last year. The area sown under moong so far was 53,264 hectares, up from 41,493 hectares last year, according to the report. The acreage under urad also rose to 29,355 hectares from 20,611 hectares a year ago. Groundnut acreage in the state was 46,734 hectares, down from 51,891 hectares sown in the previous year, the report showed. On the other hand, the area sown under sesame rose to 114,524 hectares from 109,739 hectares last year. The area sown under vegetables was 90,395 hectares, up from 87,479 hectares sown a year ago, according to the report. Onion acreage so far was 10,927 hectares against 10,818 hectares last year, while that of sugarcane rose to 10,753 hectares from 9,723 hectares a year ago. In Gujarat, summer crops are sown in February and March, and harvested in May and June. Bajra, paddy, sesamum, and moong are the main crops grown in the state during the summer.

• The government has reduced base import prices of edible oils by $11-$34 per tonne, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs said in a notification. The Centre levies import duty ad valorem and reviews the base import prices depending on changes in global prices and foreign exchange rates, usually on a fortnightly basis. The base import prices of edible oils were last revised on Mar. 13.

• Indonesia's plan to increase export levy on crude palm oil to 10% from the current 7.5%, and on palm oil products to 4.5% from 3% may lead to its export prices rising to a level that may make them uncompetitive in the global markets. This move, announced by Indonesian Plantation Fund Agency on Mar. 18, is aimed to bolster the country's biodiesel project, mandating an increased proportion of palm oil in blend. Increase in export levy will lead to further rise in crude palm oil prices, making it ultimately, the costliest oil among all edible oils, said Rahul Chauhan, Director of iGrain India.

• The National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange on Friday revised the Liquidity Enhancement Scheme in guarseed options on futures contracts, the exchange said in a circular. In another circular issued on Friday, the exchange said the existing liquidity enchancement scheme in guar seed options on futures contracts will be discontinued with effect from Apr. 7.

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India has extended the suspension of derivatives trade in wheat, chana, moong, paddy (non-basmati), mustard seeds and its derivatives, soya bean, and crude palm oil by another year, till Mar. 31, 2026, the regulator said in a release on Monday. In 2021, the government had imposed a ban on derivatives trading in the seven commodities for a year to check rising prices. The ban was extended consecutively each year till December 2024, and twice more till Mar. 31 this year.

• Multiple weather systems are likely to cause heavy rainfall over parts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, coastal and the adjoining ghat areas of interior Karnataka, north interior Karnataka, Kerala, and Mahe till Sunday, the India Meteorological Department has said. Hailstorms are also predicted over isolated pockets of central Maharashtra and Marathwada on Wednesday, Vidarbha and north interior Karnataka till Thursday, and west Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and south Interior Karnataka on Thursday, the weather bureau has said. According to the weather agency, due to the same weather systems, a wet spell accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds, ranging from 40-50 kilometre per hour, are expected over south peninsular India until Sunday, and over central India, Maharashtra, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha through Friday, the weather department said.

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