Indian soyabean shed gains on profit booking while rapeseed edged up in a lacklustre session on Thursday, due to a lack of cues from most spot markets, which were closed for a local holiday. The February soyabean contract on the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange edged 0.13 percent lower to 3,793 rupees ($56.25) per 100 kg.
Earlier in the session, soyabean rose to 3,838 rupees, its highest level since January 5. The key April rapeseed futures ended 0.22 percent up at 4,149 rupees per 100 kg. Traders expect rapeseed to remain range-bound until the arrival of the new crop in March.
February soyaoil futures were up 0.17 percent at 602.40 rupees per 10 kg at 1211 GMT.
Farmers from key sugar-growing Maharashtra are being forced to replace cane with less water-intensive crops, as a drought forces authorities to hold back water from dams.