TRADE AND COMMERCE

EXPORTS

The chief articles exported from this district are cotton, groundnut. groundnut oil. bananas, cotton seed, groundnut cake, mug, udid, chavali. ghee, rosha grass oil, linseed, etc.

The composition of exports has changed substantially. The old Gazetteer did not make a mention of the export of bananas, groundnut oil and cake. To-day, these articles represent a large portion of export trade. The quality of cotton exported has improved considerably. The "Virnar" variety of cotton to-day is far better than the then prevailing varieties, viz., Varhadi and Yengaon.

Cotton.

Cotton is the most important commodity exported from the district. The average annual production of cotton in the district over the last ten years has been estimated at 1,465,743 standard maunds valued at Rs. 2.80,09,340. Most of the cotton produced is exported and only a fraction is consumed by cotton mills at Jalgaon and Amalner. The old Khandesh Gazetteer also mentions that cotton was the chief article of export, "representing in quantity about 115,000 bales, and in value about £ 10,50.000 (Rs. 1,05,00,000)".

EXPORT OF COTTON FROM EAST KHANDESH (JALGAON DISTRICT)

Almost half of the cotton grown in the district is exported to Bombay, and the rest to Ahmadabad, Kanpur, Madras, Nagpur, Burhanpur, Sholapur, Broach and Aurangabad.

Important wholesale cotton markets are Jalgaon, Amalner, Chopda, Bhusawal, Bodwad, Chalisgaon, Pachora, and Raver. Cotton is transported to these centres and exported from them to the consuming centres. These markets are now regulated and brought under the control of the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act of 1939.

The old varieties of cotton like "Yengaon" and "Jarilla" are being replaced by "Virnar". In some parts the "Cambodia" variety of cotton is produced. This is a long staple variety and fetches as high a price as Rs. 1,250 to Rs. 1,500 per khandi of 784 lbs. "Virnar'' is also a long staple variety.

The price per khandi for the "Virnar" variety ranged from Rs. 800 to Rs. 960 in 1959-60.

All the cotton exported is ginned and pressed at the local ginning and pressing factories.

The cultivators bring their cotton produce in bullock-carts to the markets. The purchasers of cotton fall into three categories, viz.. (1) those who purchase cotton and sell it to other traders; (2) those who act as commission agents to other traders or consumers: (3) employees of textile mills and outside firms, Indian and foreign. The sale takes place by open auction and the auction is held according to the numbers given to different commission agents or dalals. In Jalgaon district, weighment in all regulated markets is made in market yards except at Jalgaon where it is made in the godowns.

Cotton representing two qualities, red label and black label, is sold in the market under the Agricultural Produce Grading and Marketing Act. 1937. The rates of the graded cotton fetch better and assured prices.

Most of the cotton export trade is handled by railways. Where this facility is not available, motor trucks are used.

Banana.

Banana is one of the most important commercial crops in Jalgaon district providing a means of livelihood to as many as fifty thousand people and supplying finance to the agriculturist during June to October, that is, at a time when his other financial resources become depleted. The average value of banana trade comes to the tune of five crore rupees every year. Out of the total cultivable land of thirty lakh acres, twenty-four thousand acres are under banana plantation, yielding nearly two thousand bunches per acre.

The following table shows the acreage under banana cultivation during 1950—59: —

The increased demand for bananas during the World War II caused a considerable growth of banana production. However, due to shortage of railway wagons, the crop could not be exported to regular markets, thus causing a severe depreciation in prices and adversely affecting the economy of the district.

The following table gives an idea of the volume of exports of bananas in the years 1957 and 1958:—

TABLE No. 4

 EXPORTS OF BANANAS IN 1957 AND 1958.

Nearly fifty per cent of the aggregate is exported to Delhi. The other important destinations are Byculla (Bombay), Agra, Jhansi, Mathura, Lucknow, Kanpur, Gwalior, Bhopal, Allahabad, Naini. Jabbulpore, Katni. Indore. Khandwa. Itarsi, Harda, Sagar, Ratlam, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Ajmer, etc.

The main centres of banana export are Nimbhora, Savda, Waghoda. Raver. Bhusawal. Pachora, Shendurni. Chalisgaon, Kaj-gaon. Jalgaon. Bhadli. Varangaon. Duskheda, Jamner, Pahur and Mhasawad. of which Savda. Nimbhora and Bhusawal are the most important exporting stations. Bananas are also exported to Bvctilla. Nasik. Poona. Kalyan, etc., in motor trucks.

There are thirteen co-operative societies which sell bananas, viz., Jalgaon. Jamner. Shendnrni, Bhusawal, Edlabad, Varangaon, Waghoda. Amoda. Amalner, Kajgaon, Parola, Chalisgaon, Nimhhora and Erandol which handle almost one-third of the total sales. Rest of the trade is in the hands of private traders, who are mainly producer-traders. Hardly one per cent of the total produce is consumed locally. The local traders transport bananas, to the respective markets, where stock-in-trade is sold through adatyas who do the business on a commission basis (tidal). The sale is done either by open auction or under cover.

The following table outlines changes in the railway freights since 1941:—

TABLE No. 5

RAILWAY FREIGHT PER WAGON FOR TRANSPORTING BANANAS BY PARCEL TRAIN FROM VARIOUS STATIONS TO DELHI.

Cattle.

Cattle trade represents one of the major constituents of the total trade in the district. Bullocks, cows and buffaloes are reared in the Satpuda mountains. Cattle are imported from Nemad region, Khargon, Piplani and Shingaji. Khargon and Shingaji bullocks are regarded as the best variety. Buffaloes from Khandwa and Malwa are paid high prices ranging from Rs. 350 to Rs. 700 per head.

Cattle trading is done mostly at the market places on bazar days. Savda, Varangaon. Bamnod and Pachora are important cattle markets.

The Vanjaris are a prominent class of cattle dealers. They rear cattle in the pastures and bring them to various villages and towns on bazar days. The old Khandesh Gazetteer states: "They have always a stock of cattle, and at the end of the hot season travel from village to village selling the animals generally for cash and sometimes on credit, and the proceeds of the sale are realised on the Vanjaris" return journey. The Vanjaris buy their stock in Nemad and Malwa and drive a very flourishing trade, especially when, in good years, the kunbi can afford to add to his live-stock

Groundnut.

Groundnut is the most important oil-seed in Jalgaon district. In 1955-56, the total yield of its crop was 90,800 tons valued at about two crore rupees. It is crushed in the oil mills in the district and oil is exported chiefly to Bombay and Dalmianagar. There were in 1958-59 twenty-four oil crushing mills out of which six were situated in Amalner and Pachora, four in Chalisgaon, two each in Bhusawal, Dharangaon, Jalgaon and Varangaon, and one each in Chopda, Faizpur, Kajgaon, Naigaon, Raver and Yawal. Besides these, there are two vanaspati manufacturing factories, one at Pachora and another at Amalner.

Business in groundnuts is brisk in October, November, December and May. Generally farmers sell produce to mill owners and local merchants in October, November and December as they have no facilities for proper storage. At many regulated markets wet groundnuts are also sold. The local merchants purchase groundnuts sometimes on cash basis and sometimes by tacit agreement (mogham). In case of mogham agreement price is not fixed at the time of weighing but its fixation is deferred to suit the convenience of the farmer when he could probably get a higher price. The local traders sell their stock to mill-owners generally in April and May. The prices are usually higher after April and subject to violent fluctuations due to speculative activities in the market, as a result of which cultivators often get lower prices. Prices during 1955 and 1959 varied between Rs. 13 and Rs. 25 per standard maund.

One palla of three Bengali maunds yields 38 to 40 seers of oil and about 56 seers of oil-cake. The rest is husk. Local traders and commission agents from Bombay purchase oil-cake which is exported to Bombay. However, a large part of it is sold locally.

Facilities for transporting oil and oil-cake are inadequate due to the scarcity of railway wagons and this adversely affects the oil prices.

The rise and growth of the vanaspati industry and the increased demand for hydrogenated oil have led to the expansion in the demand for groundnut oil.

Other Exports.

Cotton seed is exported in large quantities to Bombay, Nagpur, Dhulia, Nasik. etc.: jowar to Surat. Ahmadabad and Bombay; udid to the Punjab. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Madras; mug to Madras, Uttar Pradesh and the Punjab; hydrogenated oil to Nasik and Ahmadnagar; ghee to Bombay, Nasik and Surat; dhotis to Dhulia. Ahmadnagar and Burhanpur; oranges to Bom-bay: tur to Banaras. Madura. Harda, Wadi Bunder, Poona and Bombay.

The chief timber marts in this district are Chopda, Kingaon, Faizpur and Jalgaon. The supply chiefly comes from the Satpuda and the Ajanta mountains. The local timber (sag) is not of a superior quality, and is mainly used for buildings and agricultural implements. Superior furniture is made of timber imported from Dangs. Taloda and Chanda forests. Tiwas, sisum and shadada are the other varieties of timber available in the forests of this district. Most of the timber is consumed in the district and a very small quantity is exported to adjoining districts, viz., Aurang-abad and Buldana. There is a considerable quantum of trade in charcoal and firewood consisting of anjan, dhavada, khair and salai. On account of the ginning, pressing, spinning and other factories, a large quantity of firewood is consumed at Jalgaon. A considerable quantity is also exported by railway. Of animal products, ghee is of special importance; it is exported daily to Bombay by Vani and Marwadi traders. The 'Khandesh ghee' commands an assured market at Bombay. Trade in honey, wax and lac is of little consequence. Some quantity of lac is exported to Burhanpur. Hides and horns are sent in considerable quantities to Bombay. The other goods of commercial importance arc tem-bhurni leaves, ghatbor fruits, charolis and tarwad bark.

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