Most Indian spices rise; turmeric hits new high

MUMBAI, June 30 (Reuters) - Turmeric futures hit a new contract high in afternoon trade on a delay in cultivation in the main producing states and an estimated drop in output in 2007/08, analysts said on Monday.

Turmeric cultivation has been delayed in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, main producing states, due to deficient rainfall.

At 1:45 p.m., the August contract NTMQ8 was up 0.35 percent at 4,525 rupees per 100 kg. The contract earlier made a new high of 4,546 rupees.

However, a likely rise in acreage in 2008/09, as farmers got higher prices last year, was capping gains.

In Nizamabad, a key spot market in Andhra Pradesh, price was up 82 rupees at 4,185 rupees.

PEPPER:

Indian pepper futures rose on tight supply situation in the physical market as farmers desisted from offloading stocks, analysts said.

However, sluggish export demand ahead of arrivals in Indonesia and Brazil capped the gains, they said.

Arrivals in Indonesia and Brazil, two of the world's largest producers and exporters, will start in July.

At 1:45 p.m., the benchmark August contract NPEQ8 was at 14,150 rupees per 100 kg, up 0.34 percent.

Spot pepper rose 0.08 percent to 14,281 rupees per 100 kg in Kochi, a major spices hub in Kerala.

JEERA:

Indian jeera futures, weak in early trade on profit-taking, pared losses to move up on strong export demand and hopes of a lower crop output in Syria and Turkey, analysts said.

The benchmark September contract had risen about 5 percent in the last five trading sessions.

Syria and Turkey are two of the largest jeera producers and lower crop there may help Indian exporters.

At 1:48 p.m., September contract NJEU8 was trading at 12,754 rupees per 100 kg, up 0.16 percent.

Spot jeera fell 0.3 percent to 11,685 rupees per 100 kg in Unjha, a major trading hub in Gujarat.

CHILLI:

Chilli futures fell on arrival pressure in the physical market, where farmers and traders were offloading produce, analysts said.

At 1:47 p.m., the August contract NCBQ8 was down 0.70 percent at 5,265 rupees per 100 kg.

An expected rise in export demand and a shortfall of quality produce in the physical market was capping losses.

In Guntur, a key spot market in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, price was down 3 rupees at 4,803 rupees. (Reporting by Debiprasad Nayak & Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Harish Nambiar)