New Delhi, 14 October (NNS): Turmeric prices softened today following a sustained rally. A day earlier, continuous buying had pushed Erode gatha turmeric prices in the spot market to Rs 21800/22000 per quintal. However, a decline of Rs 500 per quintal today brought prices down to Rs 21400/21500 per quintal. Fresh crop arrivals remain limited and the availability of good-quality stocks continues to be low. Arrivals have declined in major mandis such as Sangli and Nizamabad. Market speculation is also contributing to price fluctuations. Large-scale stockholding by traders and stockists has maintained a positive sentiment in both the futures and spot markets. Meanwhile, turmeric exports to several countries, including China, Bangladesh, Turkey, Sri Lanka and Nigeria, have increased, providing support to Indian markets. Prices are expected to rise further in the near future after a period of consolidation.