The Gazetteers Department

" The chief exports are molasses, grain, groundnuts, turmeric, chillies, cotton, timber and cloth. Since the opening of bridged and well-made roads, molasses, the chief export of the district, has of late come into increasing demand, and the cultivation of sugar has widely spread. Millet, wheat, chillies, turmeric and tobacco are sent to Bombay by Chiplun, chiefly from Satara, Karad and Walva, by the local and Gujar Vanis who get these articles from the Kunbi husbandmen either in payment of debts or on cash payment. Cotton is sent from Walva and Tasgaon in bullock carts to Chiplun by Bhatias and Gujar Vanis who buy unginned cotton from the husbandmen, have it cleared by hand machines, and pack it in bales, each weighing about 250 pounds (10 mds.). As there is less local demand owing to the growing import of European and Bombay piecegoods, the growing of cotton has lately fallen off.. Coarse cloth, cotton sheets or pasodis, and blankets are chiefly sent to other districts."

Today (1960), export trade mainly consists of agricultural produce such asgroundnuts, groundnut oil, onions, turmeric, potatoes beans and gul.

Groundnut

Groundnut is one of the most important commercial crop in Satara district. The validity of this claim can he adjudged from the fact that the average annual turnover of groundnut trade is in the vicinity of 4,67,391 Bengali maunds, valued at Us. 77,15,031 at the prices prevailing in 1958-59. In 1957-58, the turnover of groundnut trade was the largest at Karad, viz., 2,77,266 Bengali maunds valued at about Rs. 41,80,307. The other important centres where it is traded are Koregaon, Satara, Rahimatpur, Malharpeth and Wai, the volume of turnover at Koregaon and Satara being 61,801 and 35,650 Bengali maunds, respectively.

The importance of groundnut as a commercial commodity has been constantly elevated since the beginning of this century, and especially during the past two decades. This is due to intensive cultivation and increase in demand consequent upon the rise of Vanaspati industry. Recently many institutional agencies like agricultural produce market committees, co-operative sale and purchase societies and associations of traders have emerged. A number of oil mills and small oil-crushing units have been established, while the old oil ghanis are fading away in importance.

At regulated markets, the procedure of sale and purchase of groundnut is according to the regulations laid down in the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act of 1939. At places not served by regulated markets, the producers bring their produce to the premises of traders, and sell it if the terms are agreeable to them. Nearly half of the groundnut produce; is crushed in the local oil mills and the oil is mainly exported to Bombay, Poona, Mahad and Panvel. Oil cake, which is used as cattle-feed or manure, is sent to Poona, Mahad and Panvel. However, a large quantum of it is consumed locally.

Gul.

Gul forms a considerable volume of exportable surplus in this district. It was so even at the time of publication of the old Satara Gazetteer which listed it to be one of the chief items of exports. The production of gul in 1957, amounted to 8,94,684 Bengali maunds valued at about Rs. 134,20,260 at the then prevailing prices. The volume and value of turnover at Karad in 1957-58, was 2,50,824 Bengali maunds and Rs. 37,70,651. respectively. The other markets where gul is sold on wholesale basis, are Satara, Koregaon, Phaltan, Wai and Rahimatpur.

Trade in gul was brought under the purview of the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1939, and as such the procedure of marketing is governed by it. At the unregulated markets the sellers bring it in bullock carts or trucks to the premises of the purchasers, and sell on outright cash basis. The agriculturists sell their sugarcane to the owners of gul factories, where it is crushed. The juice mixed with some chemicals is boiled in very big pans (Kadhais) for complete removal of colloidal impurities in the form of heavy scunt. The turbid and juice obtained from the crusher has to be freed from suspended colloidal and other undesirable impurities before it is boiled to get a good quality of gul. At the striking point the pan is immediately removed from the furnace and is kept a few minutes under constant stirring. The liquid gul is then transferred into cooling pits. As the temperature comes down, gul begins to crystallise. It is then put into galvanised gul moulds (buckets) with perforated bottom.

Gul is mainly exported to Bombay, Poona, Mahad, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Vijapur and Gujarat region. A large portion of it is carried by railway from Karad, Koregaon, Rahimatpur and Lonand stations. However, resort to the use of motor transport for export purposes is also very common.

With the exception of a few wholesale merchants, most of the trade is in the hands of non-producing ones. The period of brisk-business ranges from January to May.

Turmeric.

" Satara is the most important centre of cultivation and claims nearly four-fifths of the whole production of it in Bombay Presidency." [Statistical Atlas, Bombay Presidency, 1925,]

Turmeric (halad) is produced almost all over this district and is a good earner to its producers. The validity of this statement is proved by the fact that in 1958-59, the turnover of its trade was estimated to be about 1,00,785 Bengali maunds valued at 25 lakhs of rupees at the then prevailing prices. The volume of turnover at Karad, Masur and Wai, which are the main centres of this trade, was 55,875; 17,690 and 12,500 Bengali maunds, respectively in 1958-59. The other important centres of wholesale trade of turmeric are Satara, Malharpeth, Umbraj and Kole.

The main destinations of export track of turmeric are Bombay, Poona, Sangli, Mahad, Chiplun, Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Delhi. It is sent either in the form of pieces or powder in railwav wagons or trucks.

Onion.

Onion (Kanda) is another important commercial crop in this district. The average annual turnover of its trade is about 3,85,233 Bengali maunds, valued at about Rs. 12,38,333 at the prices prevailing in 1958-59. Lonand is the biggest centre of this trade with an average annual turnover of nearly 1,25,000 bags. The onions from Lonand are famous country-wide for their good taste and durability. The main destinations of their export are Bombay, Chiplun, Mahad, Hubli, Dharwar, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Calcutta, Kolhapur, Madras, Lucknow, Allahabad, Ahmedabad, etc. They are also exported to foreign countries like Burma, Ceylon and Africa.

Besides, Lonand, the main centres of wholesale trade in onion are Phaltan, Satara, Karad and Masur. Sale and purchase of onions is regulated by the market committees. They are brought to the market yards by the sellers either in bullock carts or trucks, and are exported to the consumers markets by railway or trucks. Business is brisk between February and May.

Other Exports.

Following is an account of export trade from the old Satara Gazetteer: " millet, wheat, chillies, turmeric and tobacco are sent to Bombay by Chiplun, chiefly from Satara, Karad and Walva, by the local and Gujar Vanis who get these articles from the Kunbi husbandmen. Cotton is sent from Walva and Tasgaon in bullock carts to Chiplun by Bhatias and Gujar Vanis who buy unginned cotton from the husbandmen, have it cleared by hand-machines and pack it in bales, each weighing about 250 pounds (10 maunds)—Teak is sent from Jaoli and Patan to Chiplun and other parts by timber-dealers, who buy at departmental sales and sell yearly a certain number of teak trees mostly in Government forests. Coarse cloth, cotton sheets or pasodis, and blankets are chiefly sent to other districts ".

Considarable changes have taken place since the publication of old Satara Gazetteer (1885), in regard to the composition and destination of export trade, as the following account would reveal.

Among other items, which do not form an inconsiderable portion of the total trade are potatoes, jowar, bajri, wheat, chillies, garlic, coriander, beans, tobacco, safflower, tur, chawali and tamarind (chinch). Koregaon, from where 2 lakh bags are exported is an important market of potatoes. Potatoes produced in Panchgani area are said to have good taste. Jowar and bajri, the main food-crops in the district, deserve a special mention by virtue of their large-scale production. However, due to their non-commercial character a special appraisal of their trade is not given. The destinations of their export are Bombay. Mahad, Chiplun. Batnagiri and Panvel. Wai is an exporting centre of tamarind. Coriander is sent from Koregaon to Bombay, Belgaum, Hubli, Panvel and Thana on a large scale. Chillies and garlic are traded in large quantities at Karad, Satara, Rahimatpur and Lonand from where they are sent to Bombay, Mahad, Panvel, etc.

A picture of commercial activities in this district cannot be complete without an account of trade in honey which is prevalent at Mahabaleshwar and the areas near about. Before the Bombay Village Industries Board took over this activity, it was entirely in private hands, and the honey producers were unorganised. Its significance lies in the fact that it provides employment and income "to the people who have no other major source of livelihood. The total turnover of honey is about 27;013 lbs., valued at Rs. 36,738. Honey is mainly exported to Bombay, Poona, Ahmedabad, etc.

A large quantum of wood fuel and charcoal is exported from the Mahabaleshwar forests to Bombay and Poona. Hand-made things having an aesthetic sense, viz., footwears, made from sambara's leather, walking-sticks, engraved woodwork and ayurvedic herbs are exported from Mahabaleshwar.

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