BANKING TRADE AND COMMERCE

CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING

Co-operative marketing has shown remarkable progress in this district. The history of co-operative marketing in the district can be traced back to the year 1928 when a co-operative marketing society was established at Dhulia. The society which preceded the establishment of the Dhulia Cotton Market was instrumental in organising the market practices on sound lines. It was followed by the establishment of a society at Shirpur in 1940, at Shahada in 1941 and at Taloda in 1943. The rest of the societies were established after 1957, viz., Sindkheda in 1957, Nandurbar in 1958, Sakri in 1958, Akkalkuwa in 1959 and Nawapur in 1959. The Dhulia District Central Co-operative Marketing Society was established in 1959.

The organisation of co-operative marketing at present, comprises one district marketing society, nine taluka marketing societies [The taluka market societies are also known as primary marketing societies.], and seven branches of the taluka marketing societies. The societies purchase the agricultural produce from the cultivators and sell it. After deducting a small margin of profit they pay the cultivators the due value of the produce. This helps protecting the cultivators from the low bidding tendency on the part of the traders. Assured price for his goods which is one of the major incentives to increase production has been possible to some extent due to these co-operative institutions.

The co-operative societies mainly function in premises of the regulated markets. The total value of the agricultural produce sold in the different regulated markets amounted to about Rs. 17 crores in 1963-64. Of this, commodities worth about Rs. 2.53 crores were sold through the marketing co-operatives. The produce sold through cooperatives was about 15 per cent, of the total turnover.

There are three co-operative processing societies in the district. These societies have received government assistance by way of subscription to share capital to the tune of Rs. 4,11,000 for construction of a ginning and pressing plant.

The Dhulia Kharedi-Vikri and Prakriya Society is a well-known agency in the field of co-operative marketing.

The following table gives the turnover of trade handled by it during the period from 1959 to 1964: -

TABLE No. 34

TRADE ACTIVITIES OF DHIULIA SAHAKARI KHAREDI-VIKRI AND PRAKRIYA SOCIETY (1959 TO 1964)

(Figures of Quantity in Bengali maunds)

 TABLE No. 34 contd.

The authorised capital of the society was Rs. 5,00,000 whereas the subscribed capital was Rs. 2,47,200 in 1963-64. The total working capital was to the tune of Rs. 14,60,842 during 1963-64.

Warehousing.

Warehousing facilities is an important attribute of an organised regulated market. Storage of agricultural commodities on scientific lines is important in more than one way. Firstly, it protects the commodities from insects and rodents, and thus saves huge losses. It also helps in maintaining the quality of goods. Secondly, it saves the goods from damage due to damp. Thirdly, the agriculturist can get better prices for his produce by it till the market moves in his favour. It is one of the paradoxes of agricultural economy that the prices of agricultural produce slump down during the harvest. The agriculturist who hardly possesses any storing facility has to dispose off the produce during the harvest only. Warehousing on an organised scale gives him an opportunity to store his produce till the price situation improves. Fourthly, by depositing his produce in the warehouse he can obtain a loan against the warehouse receipt.

There are six warehouses of the Maharashtra State Warehousing Corporation established in the district during this decade.

The corporation has established warehouses at the important markets of Dhulia, Dondaicha, Nandurbar, Shirpur, Shahada and Navapur. Most of these warehouses are near the market yards, and are very convenient to the agriculturists as well as to the traders from the point of view of transportation of goods.

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