MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

SWEETMEAT MAKING

Even in old days, sweetmeat making was found in the district. The familiar sweetmeat preparations were pedhas, barfi and ladus. The development of trade and communications and an increasing contact with other parts of the country have introduced some new sweetmeat preparations like khaja, gulab-jambu, jilebee and several halvas. The khaja preparation was imitated from the Gujarat region, gulab-jambu from U. P. and .jilebee and halvas from regions where Muslims held sway. Sweetmeat establishments are found more in urban areas than in rural areas. But in a district like Kolaba where people live from hand to mouth and wheret dairy products like milk, cream, butter, etc., and other products like sugar and maida are not easily available, the number of sweetmeat establishments even in urban areas is not too many. There are hardly one or two sweetmeat establishments in each town in the district.

Of the units surveyed, three were old and one was newly started. Their principal occupation was sweetmeat making which provided employment throughout the year.

The initial capital was raised from their own resources. The total investment of most of the average shops varied from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,200. In small shops, however, it ranged from Rs. 300 to Rs. 500. All the establishments were situated in rented premises, the rent of which varied from Rs. 7 to Rs. 30 per month.

Milk, ghee, sugar, hydrogenated oil, wheat and gram flour, etc., which were purchased locally, constituted the main raw materials. An establishment purchased raw materials Worth from Rs. 150 to Rs. 500 per month.

Where establishments engage the services of assistants, the latter are paid from Rs. 25 to Rs. 30 per month with meals twice a day. A few units are managed by owners with the help of family members. The annual gross turnover of an average shop varies between Rs. 1,500 and Rs. 9,000. All preparations are handmade and sold locally.

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