BANKING TRADE AND COMMERCE

WEEKLY MARKETS

Weekly markets are very important from the point of view of trade since long. In the absence of retail shops in smaller villages, the villagers used to make the necessary purchases from the nearby weekly markets. The details of weekly markets as given in the old Ahmadnagar District Gazetteer published in 1884 are reproduced below:-

"Markets: The internal trade is carried on in permanent and weekly markets in village shops and by pedlars. The chief permanent markets are at Ahmadnagar, Belapur, Kharda, Pathardi, Rahata, Sangamner and Vamburi. In villages and towns weekly and half-weekly markets are held. Of the whole number twelve are in Nevasa at Bhana-Shivra Bhokar, Dahigaon, Ghodegaon, Kalegaon, Kukane, Miri, Nevasa, Salabatpur, Sonai, Suregaon and Varkhed are attended by 500 to 4,000 people; eight in Parner at Alkuti, Jamgaon, Javala, Nighoj, Kanhur, Parner and Ranjangaon are attended by 100 to 700 people; five in Nagar at Ahmadnagar, Bhingar, Chinchodi, Jeur and Valki are attended by about 500 to 2,000 people; five in Rahuri at Belapur, Kolhar, Pachegaon, Rahuri, and Vamburi are attended by about 2,500 people; nine in Jamkhed at Arangaon, Amalner, Bhalgaon, Dongar-Kinhi, Jamkhed, Kharada, Sirasmarga, Sirur and Takli are attended by 200 to 400 people; six in Sangamner, at Sangamner, Nimon, Sakur, Satral, Ashvi and Pemgiri are attended by 300 to 1,000 persons; three in Karjat, at Karjat, Miraj and Rasin are attended by 200 to 400 people; ten in Shevgaon at Pathardi, Bodhegaon, Erandgaon, Kambi, Koradgaon, Mungi, Tisgaon, Shevgaon, Kharvandi and Vadule are attended by 200 to 5,000 people; six in Kopargaon at Mamdapur, Kopargaon, Rahata, Puntamba, Korhala and Undirgaon are attended by about 2,500 people; five in Shrigonda, at Shrigonda, Pedgaon, Kolgaon, Mandavgan and Belvandi are attended by 250 to 1,500; three in Akola at Rajur, Akola and Kotul are attended by 700 to 1,500 people.

At these markets the chief articles of trade are cattle, grain, cotton, cloth, groceries, vegetables, blankets, fruits, betel-leaves, sweetmeats, drinking and cooking vessels, and shoes. Barter takes place to a limited extent among the Kunbis and other lower classes in cattle and other articles.

Some of these markets are great cattle fairs. At Ghodegaon about twenty miles to the north, and at Valki about ten miles to the south of the city of Ahmadnagar, 300 to 400 bullocks and fifty to 100 cows and buffaloes are brought for sale." [Gazetteer of Bombay Presidency, Ahmadnagar District, 1884, pp. 340-341]

A considerable proportion of retail trade in the past was primarily concentrated at these market places. But with the passage of time and development in the means of transport and communications weekly markets lost their former importance as centres of trade. However, even with all the developments weekly markets still account for a large proportion of retail transactions. In a number of villages and towns periodical markets are held.

The commodities transacted at these markets comprise agricultural goods such as food-grains, oil-seeds, gur, tobacco, vegetables, fruits, etc. Besides these, live-stock and live-stock products like ghee, butter, eggs, poultry, hides and skins are also handled in some of the periodical markets. Apart from agricultural produce other articles such as, cloth, bangles, saris and khans, brooms, ropes, shoes and fodder are also sold.

The old Ahmadnagar District Gazetteer had reported only 72 weekly and bi-weekly markets in the district in 1884. Their number increased to 171 in 1960-61, out of which 25 were cattle markets. Twenty-eight weekly markets were held on Sunday, 31 on Monday, 20 on Tuesday, 23 on Wednesday, 25 on Thursday, 22 on Friday and 22 on Saturday. Besides, bi-weekly markets were also held at Kambi and Belawandi Bk. in Shevgaon and Shrigonda talukas, respectively.

A number of cattle markets are also held in the district. In Nevasa taluka four weekly cattle markets are held followed by Shevgaon taluka with four markets. The following statement gives the total number of markets and cattle markets in each taluka in the district:-

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