BANKING TRADE AND COMMERCE

REGULATED MARKETS

Regulation of agricultural produce markets is of prime importance in so far as it ensures proper returns to the farmer for his produce. Besides safeguarding the farmer from possible malpractices and exploitation, it provides better prices for the produce.

The history of regulation of agricultural markets in this district can be traced back to 1947 in which year the Takari market was brought within the purview of the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1939. Subsequently, the regulation was made applicable to Tasgaon market in 1948, Sangli in 1950 and Vita in 1960. The Agricultural Produce Market Committee, Sangli, serves the Miraj and Jath talukas, that of Tasgaon serves Tasgaon taluka, that at Takari serves Walwa taluka and Shirala peta. The Khanapur taluka is served by the Vita Market Committee. The regulation of markets in the district has made remarkable progress.

Market Practices.

Under the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act of 1939, and the subsequent amendment of 1963, sale and purchase of the regulated commodities is controlled by the respective market committees. Sale and purchase of the commodities within a certain radius of the market yard is banned by rules. Business transactions are to be held on the market premises only. The price of commodities brought into the market is settled by open auction or by open agreement, and sales under cover are prohibited. No deductions from the agreed price of consignment are allowed except for any authorised trade allowance. Weighment is done usually by licenced weighmen in the premises of the market yards. Though all the transactions are done under the supervision of the market committee the buyers sometimes circumvent the supervision over the settlement of prices and, payments. The buyers conspire to bid lower prices. This results in losses to the farmers. Payments are made in cash. Some of the payment, however, are not made in cash but are adjusted against the loans taken by the producers from the merchants.

Prior to regulation of markets, the buyers and their commission agents used to make numerous deductions from the sales proceeds on account of a multiplicity of market charges, viz., dharmadaya, goshala and temple charges, kasar, tut, etc. These charges are prohibited now. The authorised market charges, at present, cover taxes, market cess, commission and weighment charges.

Every market committee is a corporate body and is responsible for the effective supervision and management of the respective markets and sub-markets. It can acquire, purchase or sell property and premises. It is composed of members elected from among the constituencies of farmers and traders, and government nominated members. The nominated members comprise the Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Mamlatdar of the concerned taluka and a representative of local self-government bodies There is a majority of elected members in the committee.

Sangli.

Sangli is by far the biggest and the most important regulated market in the district and the surrounding region. The Agricultural Produce Market Committee, Sangli came into being in 1950 and had a jurisdiction over Miraj taluka. Under the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act of 1939, sale and purchase of groundnut (unshelled as well as shelled), gul turmeric and chillis were brought under regulation. Subse quently, the area of operations of the market committee was extended to Jath taluka also, and a sub-market at Jath was established in 1959. In view of the importance of Miraj as a foodgrains market, a sub-market was established there in 1954.

At present, the following commodities are under regulation: groundnut (shelled as well as unshelled), turmeric, gul, chillis, cotton (ginned as well as unginned), tur gram, coriander, safflower, mug, mataki, udid, castor seed, jowar, bajri, wheat, maize and cattle. For effective regulation of purchase and sale of agricultural commodities, the market committee has con structed its own market yards at Sangli, Miraj and Jath. Due to the better prices offered by these markets nearly 80 per cent of the agricultural produce is sold in their yards, whereas about 20 per cent is sold locally in the villages. The principal market functionaries, arc, general commission agents, traders, weighmen and hamals. The following figures give number of the various functionaries in the market area in 1961-62:-

The agriculturists bring their produce to the general commission agents who work as intermediaries between the sellers and buyers (traders). Sales by open agreement system are allowed in exceptional cases. As soon as the bargain is settled, an agreement is executed by the commission agent, and weighment is made by licensed weighmen. Payments are immediately made to the farmer after deducting commission, market cess, weighing charges and hamali charges. The rates of market charges are given below:-

Facilities, such as, storage shed, electric lights, canteen and potable water are provided by the market committee.

The volume of trade in groundnut, turmeric, gul, chillis and jowar at Sangli is considerable. The following table gives the annual arrivals of regulated commodities at Sangli market yard, and Miraj and Jath sub-yards in 1959-60, 1960-61 and 1961-62.

TABLE No. 21

TURNOVER OF TRADE AT SANGLI, MIRAJ AND JATH MARKETS

(Figures in bags)

The annual total turnover of trade at the market yards during the period 1959-62 is given below:-

(figures in rupees)

The financial position of the market committee is indicated in the following statement.

On account of favourable crops in 1961-62 there was considerable increase in the arrivals of groundnut, turmeric, chillis and cotton.

Co-operative marketing societies licensed by the market committee deal in the purchase and sale of agricultural produce in the market premises. This has gone a long way in safeguarding the interests of the agriculturists. The following societies function in the market yards: -

Sangli Market Yard-

(1) Shri Ganapati District Co-operative Purchase and Sale Union, Sangli.

(2) Varna Valley Co-operative Purchase and Sale Union (Branch).

(3) Karad Co-operative Purchase and Sale Society (Branch).

Miraj Yard-

(1) Shri Ganapati District Co-operative Purchase and Sale Union.

(2) Miraj Urban Co-operative Bank.

(3) Miraj Group Multipurpose Co-operative Society.

Jath Yard-

(1) Shri Ganapati District Co-operative Purchase and Sale Union.

(2) Jath Taluka Co-operative Purchase and Sale Society.

(3) Vividh Karyakari Sahakari Society.

The Sangli market has been selected, by the government, as one of the agencies for reporting the daily prices for broadcasting them from the Akashwani. The daily price position is reported to the Market Research Officer, Bombay, who provides the same to the Akashwani.

Vita

The Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1939, was made applicable to the purchase and sale of groundnut, turmeric, gul, coriander, safflower, jowar, bajra, gram and tur as early as 1947 in Khanapur taluka. It was, then, under the jurisdiction of the Takari market committee. Subsequently it was separated from the latter and constituted into an independent market committee at Vita. The Vita market committee, which was formed in 1960, has jurisdiction over the Khanapur taluka. Trade in groundnut, turmeric, gul, coriander, safflower, jowar, bajra, gram, tur and cattle is regulated at present.

The market yard provides facilities such as shed, potable water, etc.

The main articles of trade at Vita are jowar, cattle, groundnut and gul. The following table shows the annual arrivals of the regulated commodities during the period between 1960-61 and 1961-62:-

TABLE No. 22

During 1961-62 prices of groundnut were fairly steady throughout. Prices of jowar and other foodgrains were high during the same period.

The Khanapur Taluka Shetkari Sahakari Sangh, Vita, functions as general commission agent in the Vita market yard. This society handled 35 per cent of the total arrivals of jowar, 94 per cent of turmeric, 57 per cent of gul, 28 per cent of coriander, 40 per cent of safflower, 30 per cent of jowar, 16 per cent of bajra, 11 per cent of tur and 26 per cent of gram in 1961-62.

The market committee displays day-to-day prices prevailing at the neighbouring markets of Sangli and Karad. The Bombay prices are recorded from the price bulletin broadcast from Bombay Radio Station, and are kept in the office for information.

Tasgaon.

The Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act was made applicable to Tasgaon in 1948. The market area extends over the whole of Tasgaon taluka. The market committee maintains a spacious yard equipped with the usual amenities. The regulated commodities are groundnut, (shelled as well as unshelled), turmeric, gul, tur, safflower (karadai), jowar,. bajra, gram, udid, coriander, wheat, maize, chillis, chavali and tamarind. Trade in cattle and sheep is also brought under regulation.

The principal market functionaries are traders, general commission agents and weighmen. Their number in 1960-61 and 1961-62 is given below: —

The main articles of trade at Tasgaon are jowar, groundnut and gul. The following table gives the annual arrivals of the regulated commodities during 1958-59, 1960-61 and 1961-62:—

TABLE No. 23

TURNOVER OF TRADE AT TASGAON MARKET

(Figures in bags)

Co-operative marketing has achieved considerable progress in Tasgaon market. The Varna Valley Co-operative Purchase and Sale Union, Shri Ganapati District Purchase and Sale Union, the Tasgaon Taluka Co-operative Purchase and Sale Society and the Kawathe Ekand Co-operative Society act as general commission agents.

The market committee displays the prices and arrivals of regulated commodities daily. It also makes available the prices prevailing at Sangli, Karad, Kolhapur and Pandharpur markets for the information of the agriculturists.

Islampur.

Takari market was the first to be regulated in Sangli district. The Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act of 1939, was made applicable to Takari in 1947. The market has, however, been shifted to Islampur because of the facilities of transport available there. The area of operation of the market extends over Walwa taluka and Shirala peta. The market committee commands the principal market yard at Islampur and sub-market yard at Shirala.

The Islampur market has regulated the trade of groundnut (shelled as well as unshelled), turmeric, gul, jowar, bajra, coriander, gram, tur, safflower and cattle.

The Islampur market is affluent in the trade of groundnut, jowar and turmeric. The following table gives the total turnover of trade in the respective commodities: -

TABLE No. 24

TURNOVER OF TRADE DURING 1959-60, 1960-61 AND 1961-62

Co-operative marketing societies have made considerable headway in this market. The Varna Valley Purchase and Sale Union has started its adat shop at Islampur. The other societies are the Balbhim Society and the Shirala Purchase and Sale Union.

Prices of all the regulated commodities are displayed daily.

The following extracts from the Satara District Gazetteer [Gazetteer of Bombay Presidency, Vol. XlX, Satara District, 1885, pp. 215,216. ] published in 1885 throw a light on the position of trade at. Islampur, Vita and Tasgaon.

Trade Centres in 1885.

Islampur.-" Islampur or Urun in Valva has about thirty traders mostly Brahmans, Marwar, Gujrat and Lingayat Vanis and Maratha Kunbis. The traders send to Chiplun large quantities of tobacco and raw sugar or gul, and in exchange bring salt, dates, betelnuts, groceries, spices, English and country piecegoods, and metals which they sell at Islampur and the neighbouring villages. Besides Islampur, the large village of Shirala in Valva is famous for its brass lamps or samais which the Kasars send to Satara, Sholapur and Poona".

Vita.-" Vita in Khanapur has about 150 traders, mostly Brahmans, Marwar and local Vanis, Shimpis, Telis, Kasars, Sangars, Tambats, Salis and Musalmans. Of these traders, the Brahmans and Marwar vanis are generally money-lenders. English and Bombay piecegoods and twist are brought by Marwar Vanis and Shimpis from Bombay and Poona. The twist is brought by Momin Musalmans who weave it into turbans and by Sangars, and Salis who weave it into cotton sheets or pasodis, which are sold both at Vita and Kadegaon. From the growers, Marwar and local Vanis buy raw sugar or gul, and the Vanis and Telis buy, sesame, earthnut, safflower and other oil-seeds, and send them largely to Chiplun, and in exchange bring salt, betel-nuts, dates, and groceries".

Tasgaon.-" Tasgaon has about 150 traders, with capitals varying from £10 to £10,000 (Rs. 100 to Rs. 1,00,000) mostly Brahmans. Marwar, Gujrat and Lingayat Vanis, Maratha, Kunbis, Jains, Telis and Musalmans. The traders buy from the growers cotton, tobacco, raw sugar or gul, and earthnuts, and send them to Satara, Sholapur, Poona and Chiplun, and from Chiplun bring in, exchange salt, piecegoods, dates, silk, sugar, metals and spices, which are sold to the people for cash. As there are no steam presses, cotton, which is the chief article of export, is loosely-packed and loses much in quantity and quality".

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