More Stories

Informist, Thursday, Mar. 5, 2026

 

By Shreya Shetty

 

MUMBAI – Prices of basmati rice fell while prices of wheat showed mixed trends and prices of maize remained unchanged in key spot markets across the country, traders said. Prices of basmati rice were weighed down by an abrupt stalling of exports because of the continuing military conflict in West Asia, the largest destination for exports of the aromatic grain. Prices of wheat were steady in some markets while they fell in others due to a rise in arrivals, traders said. Prices of maize remained unchanged due to low demand and supply, they said.

 

WHEAT prices in Kota, Rajasthan, fell by INR 100 per 100 kg from Monday to INR 2,300-INR 2,350 per 100 kg, said Ravi Mehta, a local trader. Arrivals doubled to 5,000 bags (1 bag = 50 kg) from Monday, he said. The market was shut Tuesday and Wednesday for Holi. Prices are weighed down by a rise in arrivals of the new rabi wheat crop, he said.

 

The market has begun receiving arrivals of the new crop, which are expected to increase sooner than expected due to the prevailing hot weather conditions, Mehta said. Farmers are likely to speed up the harvest for fear of damage to the standing crop due to rising daytime temperatures in states such as Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, he said. Prices are likely to fall further once arrivals of the new crop begin in full swing, he said.

 

The price of wheat in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, was steady at INR 2,460 per 100 kg, said Gaurav Kochar, a local trader. The price in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, was steady at INR 2,700 per 100 kg, said Devendra Vora, a wholesale trader. Prices were steady amid tepid market activity, he said.

 

MAIZE price in Indore was steady at INR 1,715 per 100 kg, Kochar said. The price is unchanged as low demand for the grain is on a par with the supply, he said. Though arrivals of the new rabi crop have begun, the market is receiving only small batches of the grain, he said. The price is expected to fall once arrivals of the freshly harvested crop increase, he said.

 

Prices of the main varieties of RICE fell in Vashi. The 1401 and 1121 varieties of basmati rice fell by INR 500 per 100 kg each to INR 7,500-INR 7,700 per 100 kg and INR 7,900-INR 8,300 per 100 kg, respectively, Vora said.

 

Prices of basmati rice have been weighed down by the military hostilities in West Asia, a key destination for the grain. Previously placed export orders are either stuck at Indian ports or at sea, while new orders have halted, analysts and market participants said.

 

The US and Israel jointly attacked Iran over the weekend, killing Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei. As the conflict continues for the sixth day, basmati rice prices are down INR 500 per 100 kg across major trading hubs in north India, Mehta said. "The West Asia conflict has dealt a blow to many Indian exports because the region is no longer safe for vessels. Exports of many Indian agri-commodities have been affected, but basmati rice remains the most impacted, with prices falling to INR 75 per kg," he said.  End

 

Edited by Rajeev Pai

 

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

 

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd. by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt. Ltd.

 

Informist Media Tel +91 (22) 6985-4000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

 

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2026. All rights reserved.