All stories by Avishek Rakshit
Eveready hopes to ride the anti-China wave
Rediff.com23 Jun 202050 per cent of the flashlights market in the country is dominated by Chinese imports, which have been increasing.
Tension at China border leaves tea companies in a stir
Rediff.com31 May 2020Planters from Assam said despite the Covid-19 pandemic, trade enquiries from China had been rising. However, owing to the growing conflict, enquiries may dry up. 'We have seen how the trade dried up in case of the Pakistan conflict and fear the same,' a planter from Assam said.
Harsh Lodha is back as director in 2 MP Birla group firms following court nod
Rediff.com6 May 2020The order, which set aside the August 9 ruling of a single-judge bench, prevented the group entities from publishing the voting results of the last AGM. However, the firms will now be able to execute decisions taken at the AGM last year. People in the know said the Birlas would appeal against the order in a higher court.
COVID-19: Ayurvedic products become increasingly popular
Rediff.com30 Apr 2020The pandemic has resulted in a change in consumer lifestyles, with an increased focus on preventive healthcare remedies leading to a surge in demand for immunity-positioned supplements, including Ayurvedic medicines and products, as consumers pursue different ways to combat the virus.
Here's some good news for India's tea lovers
Rediff.com29 Apr 2020Tea estates across Assam and West Bengal, which were hitherto closed owing to the lockdown, opened in April.
Imported raw material scarcity hits FMCG firms
Rediff.com25 Apr 2020Industry officials say the crunch has not only affected manufacturing of edibles but even of items like nozzle pumps and other goods used in packaging.
Tea planters' cup of woes is spilling over
Rediff.com22 Apr 2020The tea industry, hit by rising costs, falling prices and political unrest in the North Bengal plantations, is especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Domino's boys to deliver ITC atta, spices apart from hot pizzas
Rediff.com3 Apr 2020A combo pack of ITC-owned Aashirvaad atta and spices including chili, coriander and turmeric powders will be available on Domino's app. The service will be available in Bengaluru first and will then be expanded to Noida, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad.
Rs 2000 cr of losses brewing for tea cos this year
Rediff.com29 Mar 2020Rough estimates from plantation companies have pegged production loss in excess of 100 million kg (mkg) across India which is valued at around Rs 2000 crore. Usually, plantation companies in Assam and West Bengal produce around 15 per cent of the total tea during March-April.
How ITC, Godfrey Phillips plan to expand market share
Rediff.com25 Feb 2020ITC has introduced differentiated cigarettes like Gold Flake Indie Mint, Gold Flake Neo and Classic Rich & Smooth in the premium end. Godfrey, too, introduced flavoured variants like Four Square Clove Crush in the mid-tier segment and has seven variants of the Marlboro brand for India.
ITC is first to hike cigarette prices post budget
Rediff.com12 Feb 2020While the American Club Cool Fresh Taste saw the minimum hike of 10 per cent, from Rs 200 to Rs 220 for a pack of 20 cigarettes, the price of Navy Cut Filter rose by about 16 per cent, at Rs 80 for a pack of 10 sticks. Flake Filter has become costlier by 14 per cent at Rs 80, while prices of Flake Special Filter, Flake Blue Special Filter and Wave Cool Mint rose by 20 per cent.
How FMCG majors are tackling slowdown in rural demand
Rediff.com9 Feb 2020Nearly all FMCG companies like Marico, HUL, ITC and the rest have been indicating that the operating environment has been challenging, with drop in consumption, especially in rural areas, severe crunch in market liquidity conditions, and disruptions and floods in several parts of the country. To overcome this, they are boosting their direct reach in the countryside.
As financial crisis deepens, tea estates are up for sale
Rediff.com22 Jan 2020The root of the problem, according to industry officials, is the sudden stoppage of lines of credit to tea plantation companies.
Will anti-CAA protests help Mamata?
Rediff.com14 Jan 2020'When violence spread, it looked as if Mamata was losing control, but soon, she was able to contain the situation.' 'Now, the TMC stands to gain the most.'
In Bengal, CAA causes fissures amid BJP leaders
Rediff.com13 Jan 2020BJP leaders in the state are either lying low or criticising the CAA move in hushed tones. Chandra Kumar Bose, vice-president of the BJP's state unit, is most vocal with his opposition to the Act in the current form. "The country is above petty party politics. How can I keep quiet when I see that something is happening which is wrong in its current form?" Other party leaders aren't as vocal as Bose but clandestinely have been questioning the merit of the CAA and its impact on the BJP's prospects in the state. In fact, at a time when the BJP started making deep inroads in the state, the fear of the CAA and the NRC appears to be ruining its prospects.
Coming soon, the Lamborghini home in next six months
Rediff.com21 Dec 2019The family that used to make the legendary sports car wants to bring the same design panache to luxury flats.
Danone to enter new product categories with Protinex
Rediff.com9 Dec 2019The company believes that Protinex's current powder form limits the scope of expanding the business and hence, diversification into new categories is essential for its growth.
Iran set to topple Russia as India's largest tea importer
Rediff.com5 Dec 2019Under the trade agreement between India and Iran, the West Asian country can pay India in rupees for its imports against oil exports to India, which New Delhi pays for in Iranian rial.
Kolkata turns pink for day-night Test
Rediff.com23 Nov 2019Kolkata sheds its white-blue nocturnal hue with pink ball day-night Test.
Canon mulls plants in India to hedge against US-China trade war
Rediff.com5 Sep 2019Firm is conducting feasilbility studies on setting up units in 40 countries, will take final call based on global fallout of trade spat.