Consumption Will Be Robust From July On: AWL MD

AWL Agri Business expects demand to improve from July onwards. The company reported a 24.5 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) decline in net profit to ₹236.43 crore in the first quarter of 2025-26 (Q1FY26). However, its revenue stood at ₹17,058.65 crore, which is a growth of 20.5 per cent Y-o-Y, with an underlying 5 per cent Y-o-Y decline in volume. The rice business proved to be a drag in Q1, leading to the fall in volume. After announcing AWL's Q1FY26 results, Angshu Mallick, the company's managing director and chief executive officer (MD & CEO) spoke to Sharleen D'Souza in an online interview. Edited excerpts:

- 

How will demand pan out in the coming quarters as you've said you've witnessed muted consumer demand?

■ Edible oil, which was growing at around 4-5 per cent, grew by hardly 1 per cent, or zero growth. This is what Nielsen (NielsenIQ) says. Now we are also saying that Q1 saw very little growth. I found that edible oil prices in April and May were high, and there were rumours that the market would come down and the government might reduce duty. Purchases were delayed as the trade generally waits when they get such news. And actually on May 31, when the duty came down, the market (prices) went down by ₹7-9 per litre. Obviously the entire trade got a little disturbed. All this created subdued demand, which impacted the Q1 performance.