As the rupee has been on a downward slide and crossed 90 a dollar, consumer electronics firms are looking to raise prices of products ranging from air conditioners (ACs) to television panels up to 10 per cent.
Adani Wilmar on Monday posted over twofold jump in consolidated net profit at Rs 410.93 crore for December quarter 2024-25 on strong edible oil sales. The company had logged a net profit of Rs 200.89 crore in the year-ago period.
'Food inflation is important and if that is controlled, then consumption will go up.'
With crude palm oil prices on the rise, companies have started to jack up rates of soaps and edible oils in order to pass on the hike to consumers. Crude palm oil, one of the main ingredients in the manufacture of some consumer goods, saw a price rise of 45.2 per cent in the last three months. One of the country's largest consumer companies, Hindustan Unilever, said it has already started to take price increases in the skin cleansing category.
India's second richest person Gautam Adani received a total remuneration of Rs 9.26 crore in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, lower than most industry peers as well as his own key executives.
'A weak monsoon always spells disaster. But it's too early to have a pessimistic view.'
'Our target will come from rural areas as there are more outlets there.'
'In staples, we have still managed in rural areas.'
Companies manufacturing fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) continue to see rural stress sustain and it continues to trail urban demand. At the Confederation of Indian Industry's FMCG summit, managements of various companies pointed out urban demand continued to grow while rural demand remained under pressure because incomes were under stress in rural areas. "Due to rural stress, volumes continue to remain an issue for the industry and we are yet to see any revival in demand," Sudhir Sitapati, managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) at Godrej Consumer Products
'Due to rural stress, volumes continue to remain an issue for the industry, and we are yet to see any revival in demand.'
Adani Wilmar Ltd (AWL) on Tuesday announced the acquisition of several brands, including the renowned 'Kohinoor' brand from McCormick Switzerland GMBH to strengthen its leadership in food business. The deal size was not disclosed. The acquisition would give AWL exclusive rights over the brand 'Kohinoor' basmati rice along with 'Ready to Cook', 'Ready to Eat' curries and meals portfolio under the Kohinoor brand umbrella in India, the company said in a statement.
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sales in rural areas witnessed a sequential recovery in the latter half of December, according to data by retail intelligence firm Bizom. Also, demand witnessed in the previous month compared to November was higher from tier-3 cities than mega cities. Overall demand from rural areas declined 0.2 per cent on a month-on-month basis in December while it was down 17 per cent in November, according to Bizom's data.
Fortune cooking oil has temporarily halted television commercials featuring former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly following a mild heart attack he suffered. But the company insisted the BCCI chief is not being dropped as the brand ambassador and the commercials will be back on air soon. Ganguly last week suffered a mild heart attack, following which he had to undergo angioplasty. The news of his health had led to a lot of buzz on social media with some seeking to link it with his endorsements.
Expect fast-moving consumer goods makers (FMCG) to raise prices again next month owing to raw materials, transport, labour and packaging material costs remaining high or becoming even costlier. Whether it is packaged wheat flour and basmati rice or biscuits and shampoos, these products will become 2-10 per cent more expensive. Adani Wilmar will hike the price of its packaged wheat flour by 5-8 per cent and of its basmati rice by 8-10 per cent next month.
Consumer companies have started taking orders via phone calls and are also pushing retailers to order through their B2B applications.
The festival season has already begun in the west and south of India with Ganesh Chaturthi and Onam, respectively, and consumer companies are witnessing a pick-up in sales compared to pre-Covid levels. Retailers, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and consumer durables companies expect their sales to grow in double digits this festival season compared to pre-pandemic times, as there are no curbs on movement now. Adani Wilmar expects sales volume to be higher by 15-20 per cent as rural India has largely witnessed good monsoon rains, and employment has picked up in urban areas.
Ganguly, who endorses Fortune Rice Bran Cooking Oil, felt discomfort on January 2 while performing physical exercise in the home gymnasium at around 11 am. Following this, he underwent an angioplasty at the Woodlands Hospital.
'We need to encourage the next generation of farmers to continue in farming'
With the dizzying rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in the country, India Inc has transitioned from a wait-and-watch policy to full-on emergency mode, bringing back remote and flexi work, stringent safety protocols, and allowing only essential travel. Companies - especially in metros like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata - that had adopted a hybrid work model during the last few months when the caseload remained low, are either switching back entirely to work-from-home (WFH), or calling skeletal staff to office on select days. Take the case of cigarettes-to-hotels major, ITC, which had been on a hybrid work model over the last few months.
While reforms may translate into new opportunities for firms like ITC, Adani Wilmar and Reliance Retail, farmers are unlikely to use it for fear of upsetting commission agents.
Branded and packaged edible oils are currently selling at around 50 per cent premiums over their loose varieties. Hence, products using edible oils would be costlier going forward.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances