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BANKING TRADE AND COMMERCE
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FAIRS
In the past fairs had always been important centres of retail
trade in this district. On these festive occasions many itinerant traders, retail shopkeepers, sweetmeat dealers, fruit vendors and villagers used to gather together. Their former importance is, however, on the decline. This might be attributed to the growth in the number of retail shops in villages and consuming habits of the people.
From the point of view of trade, fairs held at the following villages and towns are important:―Poladpur and Devpur in Poladpur mahal; Sajgaon in Khalapur taluka; Washi, Patnoli, Nidhavali and Wadhav in Pen taluka; Murud and Telavade in Murud mahal; Dasgaon, Nate and Mahad in Mahad taluka; Chirner in Uran; Dive-Agar and Devghar in Shriwardhan mahal; Chaul, Varsoli, Shahabaj and Thal in Alibag.
The following statement gives an idea regarding the approximate turnover of trade at the important fairs. In the absence of any records about the turnover of trade at the fairs, statistical accuracy is not claimed for the same.
TABLE No. 20
IMPORTANT FAIRS IN KOLABA DISTRICT.
|
Taluka |
Village or town |
Turnover | |
|
|
Rs. | |
Alibag |
Varsoli |
25,000 | |
do. |
Chaul |
12,050 | |
do. |
Thal |
6,000 | |
do. |
Shahabaj |
6,000 | |
Khalapur |
Sajgaon |
10,000 | |
Mahad |
Nate |
2,000 | |
do. |
Dasgaon |
4,000 | |
do. |
Mahad |
2,500 | |
Murud |
Murud |
3,500 | |
Pen |
Washi |
10,000 | |
do. |
Wadhav |
2,000 | |
do. |
Nidhavali |
10,000 | |
do. |
Patnoli |
2,000 | |
Poladpur |
Poladpur |
3.700 | |
do. |
Devpur |
3,000 | |
Shriwardhan |
Diwe-Agar |
3,000 | |
do. |
Devghar |
4,000 | |
Sudhagad |
Pali |
2,000 |
The above statement enumerates only the fairs having turnover of Rs. 2,000 and above. The fair at Varsoli in Alibag taluka is the biggest from the point of view of trade and commerce. The fairs at Chirner, Sonari and Mhatavali in Uran Mahal are also important. But the data regarding turnover are not available in their case. In the case of the remaining talukas the statistics regarding fairs are not available.
Pedlars, itinerant merchants, retail shopkeepers, sweetmeat dealers, fruit vendors are the various classes of traders who assemble at the fairs. The turnover at the fairs is generally small. The buyers are usually the residents of the village and its neighbourhood and pilgrims from distant places if such a fair is a religious one. The goods usually handled at the fairs are cloth, ready-made clothes, carpets, copper, iron, brass and stainless steel utensils, lamps, toys, foodgrains, sweetmeats, fruits, stationery and cutlery goods, perfumes and agricultural implements.
Transactions are mainly done on a cash basis.
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