BANKING TRADE AND COMMERCE

FAIRS

Fairs still retain their importance as centres of trade. They offer ample opportunities to petty traders to display their goods and carry on brisk sales. A wide variety of articles are handled at fairs. They include sweetmeats, fruits, dry fruits, stationery, cutlery, crockery, toys, perfumery, toilets, watches, furniture, cloth, ready-made clothes, utensils, footwear, tobacco, agricultural implements, ropes, cattle, etc. The transactions at the fairs are done on cash basis.

Bazars.

Bazars were important centres of trade in the past. They ranked next to wholesale trade centres. The rural populace used to purchase their day-to-day requirements of articles from the weekly bazars. In the set-up of trade existing then the number of retail shops, especially in villages, was much less than at present. Hence the consumer was required to purchase his provision from the weekly bazars. They, however, are gradually losing their former importance, firstly, because of the developed means of transport which enable the distant producers to bring their goods to the markets; secondly because of the increase in the number of retail shops; and lastly because of the importance attached to centres of wholesale trade.

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