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BANKING TRADE AND COMMERCE
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SECTION II : TRADE AND COMMERCE.
Like development in the field of finance progress is also marked in the sphere
of trade and commerce in the district. Due to difficulties of communications
and the rather limited requirements of the people, trade in former times was restricted mostly
to weekly bazars and fairs. The commodities traded at these places were
generally agricultural and their prices were dependent mainly on their supply conditions rather than the demand
for them. There was no stimulus for increasing production as
the internal market had an inelastic demand and exports were
few. Wherever the markets existed, they were unregulated and
conspicuous by the absence of uniform weights and measures.
During the past sixty years or so conditions have undergone tremendous changes. Not only did trade and commerce thrive but on account of the improvement, in transport and communications, it has attained considerable stability and magnitude. The main markets in the district have now been regulated by special enactment, and a number of fair practices established. The introduction of standard weights and measures have brought about uniformity so essential for easy and honest dealings. The establishment of godowns and stores has increased the durability of goods and strengthened the supply position of producers. Formation of a number of marketing societies has strengthened the bargaining position of the cultivators and linked credit with marketing. The different trade associations, on the other hand, have been striving to protect the interest of traders. The following pages give an account of all the developments in the sphere of trade and commerce and bring out their importance in recent years.
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