TRADE AND COMMERCE

RETAIL TRADE

Since the beginning of this century, there has been a considerable increase in the volume of retail trade and number of retail shops. Formerly, there were a few retail shops selling the necessaries of life. However, with changes in the economic condition or the society, needs of the people assumed a varied nature and, consequently, retail shops began to deal in varied goods in a larger volume. The change was, however, more glaring in the urban and semi-urban areas of the district. With a higher degree of urbanisation and increase in the population of towns like Jalgaon. Bhusawal, Chalisgaon. Amalner and Pachora, the number of retail shops dealing in various commodities has gone up. The number of retail shops registered under the Shops and Establishments Act of 1946 in the important municipal towns of the district is shown in the table below [This account is exclusive of the retail shops not registered under the Shops and Establishments Act of 1946.]: —

TABLE No. 21

NUMBER OF RETAIL SHOPS REGISTERED UNDER SHOPS AND ESTABLISHMENTS ACT, 1946, IN MUNICIPAL TOWNS

Dispersion of Shops

Groceries.

Among retail shops, the grocery group is the most important in view of its number and employment. They sell cereals, pulses. gul, sugar, oil. ghee, spices, tea, coffee and other items of grocery. Their stock-in-trade varies from Rs. 500 to Rs. 10,000. The shopkeepers but their goods from larger towns like Jalgaon, Bhusawal, etc.. usually in cash. But those with a good reputation and standing get credit facilities.

Pan, Bidi Cigarate and Tobacco.Cloth and Hosiery

Next in order are pan, bidi, cigarette and tobacco shops. They are small units managed by one or two persons Cloth and hosiery shops conic next. The value of their total stock varies from Rs. 300 to Rs. 60,000. They sell all varieties of cloth, such as cotton, silk, nylon, woollen, etc.; shirting, coating, sarees. blouse-pieces, Banarasi shalu, pailhani, chadars and so on. Some of the shops at Jalgaon, Bhusawal, Chalisgaon and Faizpur deal in selected varieties of cloth. These shops are either organised on partnership basis or are individually owned and managed with the help of three or four servants.

Hosiery products are mainly sold during the months of November. December and January.

Cloth trade is brisk between October and May. For the rest of the year it is dull.

Wood.

Fuel and Timber.

Wood and fuel shops deal in firewood, wood, fuel, timber, charcoal and coal Firewood is brought from the Satpuda and Ajanta mountains. Timber comes from Satpuda mountains, Nasik and Malabar. Malabar timber (sag) fetches a high price. Cliopda. Kingaon and Faizpur are famous for retail trade in timber.

Stationery, Cutlery, Bangles and Provision.

The number of stationery, cutlery and provision stores is quite large. These shops specialise in the sale of stationery, toilet articles, pencils, fountain-pens, ink. nibs, cutlery and provision goods. All these articles are purchased from Bombay.

Bicycle Shops

There are quite a few shops trading in bicycles at Jalgaon and Bhusawal. These shop-keepers have business connections with wholesale merchants in Bombay. Bicycles are given on hire also.

Fruits and Vegetables.

Most of the shops dealing in fruits and vegetables are small units. They obtain their stock-in-trade from the adjoining rural areas. The fruits sold are bananas, oranges, mosumbis, apples, grapes, papai, chiku and mangoes. The trade in fruits and vegetables is seasonal.

Hardware and Building Materials.

Recently there has been an increase in shops dealing in hardware and building materials due to the expanding building activity. They are to be found in all towns. They sell iron and steel bars, nails, screws, metal sheets, etc. The value of their stock usually ranges from Rs. 2.000 to Rs. 2.00,000.

Medicines and Drugs

Medicine and drug shops deal in a variety of medicines and 'drugs, allopathic, homoeopathic, ayurvedic and other indigenous and foreign medicines. Jalgaon has the maximum number of these stores. Most of the dealers in the smaller towns purchase their stock-in-trade from Jalgaon. There is also an Ayurvedic Pharmacy at Jalgaon. The medical stores in Jalgaon are situated in Navi Peth and Polan Peth.

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