The National Multi-Commodity Exchange has set a new record in physical delivery of 2,356 Metric Tonnes of pepper in the June-2007 series.

The ratio of physical delivery to the commodity's cumulative turnover of 1,72,750 MT in the June-2007 series, which was launched in December 16, 2006, stood at 1.36 per cent. This reflects the market's strong confidence on the exchange, starting from small planters, traders and investors to big hedgers.

Pepper's June-2007 series record in physical delivery was an improvement of the exchange's own record of 1,915 MT delivered in the March-2007 series.

Taking into consideration pepper's delivery figures year-on-year basis, June-2007 series' 2,356 MT was 658 per cent higher than 358 MT delivered in June 2006.

The cumulative physical delivery of pepper since the beginning of the futures trading in the commodity four years back at NMCE totalled 27,356 MT.

Among the other highly traded commodities at NMCE, the physical delivery of rubber in the June-2007 series stood at 2,891 MT and that of cardamom in the same series at 53 quintal.

As to the settlement prices of these three hot commodities in the June-2007 series that expired last week-end, pepper settled at Rs 13,806 (per quintal), rubber at Rs 8,194 (per quintal), and cardamom at Rs 392.85 (per kg). The settlement prices are arrived at by averaging out the spot prices of the particular commodity on five days preceding the expiry date.

In case of pepper, the June-2007 series settlement price was lower than Rs 14,895 in May-2007 and Rs 15,253 in Aprill-2007 but higher than Rs 11,523 of the March-2007 series.

The rubber June-2007 series settlement price was also lower than that Rs 8,452 in May-2007 and Rs 9,425 in April-2007.

The cardamom June-2007 series price was also marginally lower than Rs 394 in May-2007 and Rs 404 in April-2007.

Pepper is concurrently traded in six series, each series running into six months. At present, NMCE runs futures contract in about 190 series in 60 commodities, including bullion, metals, oilseeds, edible oils, sugar, gur, pulses and food grains.