BANKING, TRADE AND COMMERCE

EXPORTS

Industrialisation has not made much progress in the district except the opening up of a number of oil mills, cotton ginning and pressing factories and bidi manufacturing establishments. The chief articles of export, therefore, consist mostly of the agricultural produce. Jowar, bajri, wheat, groundnut, cotton and pulses form the main commodities of export.

The main variety of cotton found in the district is deviraj. In 1958-59 62,238 bales of cotton were produced in the district. In the absence of any local textile factory cotton is exported to such textile centres as Sholapur and Bombay. Jowar, wheat, bajri and pulses are exported to Bombay, Nasik and Jalna. Of oil-seeds groudnut is of value. There are a number of oil mills in the district. Oil and oil-cake have a good market at Bombay. Oil-cake which serves as a very good fodder is exported even to foreign countries like England. The brass-ware at Amalner in Patoda tahsil is sent to neighbouring districts. The bidi manufacturing establishments at Shirur and Patoda find a market in the neighbouring districts.