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The monsoon impact

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The onset of the south-west monsoon, which began on June 1, 2018 has reached the eastern regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan, states a report from CARE Ratings. The regions of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh recorded a deficient rainfall while, the regions of Coastal Andhra Pradesh and West Madhya Pradesh that were largely affected by the drought conditions in 2014, have received normal rainfall, cumulatively. As a whole, the country recorded normal rainfall.

The week of June 21 to June 27, 2018, recorded a cumulative rainfall of 41.5 mm, which is at a approximately 16 per cent departure from normal rainfall. For the season beginning from June 1, 2018 the cumulative rainfall up to June 27, 2018 records a 10 per cent departure from normal.

Table 1 reveals that out of the 36 meteorological subdivisions in India, 24 sub-divisions recorded excess to normal rainfall which is approximately in line with the number of regions in 2016 and 2017. Amongst the six regions receiving excess rainfall Punjab and the Konkan and Goa recorded rainfall in excess of around 50 per cent from normal cumulatively.

Saurashtra, Kutch and Diu was the only sub-division with largely deficient rainfall, recording a 93 per cent departure from the normal rainfall of 72 mm.

Area under cultivation till June 27 was lower this year relative to last year.

  • It was lower in case of rice, coarse cereals, pulses, oilseeds and cotton. This needs to be monitored closely as there has been over-production of pulses in the last two years which led to a decline in prices and hence income for farmers.
  • The MSPs are yet to be announced which can cause a shift in cropping pattern in the coming weeks.
  • Cultivated area has been stable in case of sugarcane and jute.
    Commentary
    The southwest monsoons have advanced to the western belt of Gujarat and Rajasthan. The marginal rise in the area sown for sugarcane can be attributed to the excess rainfall recorded in the Marathwada region. The Saurashtra region having received deficient rainfall has possibly led to lower acreage of groundnut. The same goes with cultivation of cotton, which is another major crop grown in the Saurashtra region. Acreage for cotton fell by 16 per cent. Oilseeds acreage was also lower and can be a concern going ahead.
    Table 1: Rainfall patterns: Number of Divisions (As of 27th June 2018)

    No. of Sub-Division with rainfall 26-Jun-13 25-Jun-14 24-Jun-15 29-Jun-16 28-Jun-17 27-Jun-18
    Large Excess – – – – 5 0
    Excess 26 0 16 7 8 6
    Normal 6 7 13 17 15 18
    Total 32 7 29 23 28 24
    Deficient 3 20 5 10 8 11
    Large Deficient – – – – 0 1
    Scanty 1 9 2 2 0 –
    Total 4 29 7 12 8 12
    TOTAL 36 36 36 36 36 36
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    Concrete

    Wonder Cement appoints Mahesh Singh as VP Corporate Brand Communication 

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    Singh brings 20+ years of brand and marketing experience, and will lead integrated corporate brand communication initiatives at Wonder Cement 

    New Delhi

    Wonder Cement, a leading cement manufacturer, has appointed Mahesh Singh as Vice President – Corporate Brand Communication. In his new role, he will oversee corporate brand strategy and communication, including digital and performance marketing, public relations, trade, events, exhibitions, sports and experiential marketing. 

    Singh brings over two decades of experience across marketing and communications, with roles spanning the automotive industry, agencies and entrepreneurship. He spent more than a decade with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, working across integrated communication, media, digital, retail and consumer engagement. His stint also included helping build the company’s digital marketing capabilities. 

    He moved to dentsu X India as Vice President – Strategy & Planning, working across categories such as automotive, auto components, electric vehicles, FMCG, consumer electronics, BFSI, apparel and brand consulting. His responsibilities included media and marketing strategy, product launches, content, performance marketing and consumer activations. 

    Singh subsequently took an entrepreneurial route with Radiant Brands before joining Shriram Ltd (SPR Autotech) as Head – Marketing & Communications. There, his remit included brand and corporate strategy, communications, PR and ORM, retail identity, loyalty programmes and events. 

    At Wonder Cement, Singh will be responsible for bringing together the company’s corporate brand communication initiatives across digital, performance marketing, PR, trade, sports and experiential platforms. The role will focus on creating an integrated approach to communication across consumers, trade partners and other key stakeholders. 

    The appointment brings to Wonder Cement a marketer whose career has spanned the brand, agency and entrepreneurial sides of the communications ecosystem. 

    Wonder Cement, part of the RK Group, is a cement manufacturer with roots in Rajasthan and a focus on quality, trust and transparency. The company has grown to six manufacturing plants, and a cement capacity of 21.5 MTPA. With more than 2,000 employees and a network of over 5,000 dealers, its operations span manufacturing, distribution and customer engagement, with a focus on consistent product quality and efficient execution. 

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    Concrete

    JSW Cement commissions additional 1 MTPA grinding unit at Nagaur

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    With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA, 
    Mumbai

    JSW Cement, one of India’s leading green cement producers and part of the diversified JSW Group, today announced the successful commissioning of an additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit at Nagaur, Rajasthan. The commissioning marks another significant milestone in the Company’s growth strategy.

    With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA, while its total clinker manufacturing capacity, including clinker capacity at its joint venture, JSW Cement FZC, stands at 9.74 MTPA.

    JSW Cement had commenced operations in North India in March 2026 with the Nagaur Integrated Plant, comprising a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit. With the commissioning of the additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit, the plant’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 3.50 MTPA, enhancing the company’s ability to cater to the growing cement demand across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the National Capital Region (NCR). The expansion has been funded through a strategic mix of equity and long-term debt.

    During the quarter ended 30th September 2026, JSW Cement has also commissioned the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) at the Nagaur Integrated Plant.

    Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, said: “The commissioning of additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity at Nagaur is a key strategic priority for us and will accelerate JSW Cement’s expansion into North India. We look forward to servicing the growing needs of the region and contributing to the economic growth of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR area. I am delighted to share that the company has commissioned this grinding unit within the expected timeline, showcasing our project execution capabilities. Further, the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) are expected to substantially reduce our production costs going forward.”

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    Concrete

    UltraTech becomes first Indian cement firm to cross 2 GW green energy

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    UltraTech Cement has crossed 2 GW of captive green energy capacity, with renewables and waste heat recovery meeting 48 per cent of its power needs.

    Mumbai

    UltraTech Cement Limited has surpassed 2 GW of installed green energy capacity for captive use, becoming the first cement company in India to achieve the milestone. The Aditya Birla Group company commissioned 116.55 MW of wind capacity at its Inter-State Transmission System-connected wind-solar hybrid project in Barmer, Rajasthan, along with 10 MW of Waste Heat Recovery System capacity at Sarlanagar Cement Works in Karnataka.

    With these additions, UltraTech’s cumulative installed green energy capacity has reached 2,024 MW. This includes 1,580 MW of renewable energy capacity and 444 MW of waste heat recovery capacity, together meeting around 48 per cent of the company’s current power requirements.

    The company said the milestone reflects the progress of its long-term energy transition strategy. In FY27 so far, nearly one-third of UltraTech’s 76 manufacturing units in India have maintained green energy utilisation above 50 per cent of their electricity requirements, while five units have crossed 95 per cent.

    K C Jhanwar, Managing Director, UltraTech Cement Limited, said, “Crossing the 2 GW green energy milestone is the result of a strategy we have pursued consistently over the past decade. Cement is an energy-intensive, hard-to-abate sector, and showing that reliability and growth can go hand in hand with a rapid shift to green energy sets a benchmark for the industry. With nearly half of our power needs now met through green energy, we are significantly less exposed to fossil fuel supply constraints and power price volatility. As we scale up renewables, waste heat recovery and battery storage across our operations, we are building an energy foundation for stable, long-term growth.”

    UltraTech commissioned 430 MW of green energy capacity in FY26 and continues to expand its renewable energy and waste heat recovery portfolio.

    The company is also progressively integrating Battery Energy Storage Systems across its operations to improve renewable energy utilisation and supply reliability.

    In 2025, UltraTech operationalised what it described as India’s first on-site hybrid round-the-clock renewable energy project at Sewagram Cement Works in Gujarat. The project combines solar, wind and battery storage.

    As part of its decarbonisation strategy, UltraTech said it has not invested in new captive thermal power capacity for either greenfield projects or brownfield expansions at its integrated units for more than a decade.

    The company said its expanding green energy portfolio is helping reduce dependence on conventional grid electricity and fossil fuel-based power, while lowering exposure to fluctuations in coal and electricity prices.

    UltraTech aims to increase green energy’s share in its total power mix to 85 per cent by 2030. As a member of RE100, it has also committed to meeting 100 per cent of its electricity requirement through renewable sources by 2050.

    UltraTech Cement, the cement flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, has a total grey cement capacity of 210.1 MTPA and white cement and putty capacity of 3.5 MTPA. The company is also a signatory to the GCCA Climate Ambition 2050 and has committed to the GCCA Net Zero Concrete roadmap.

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