BANKING TRADE AND COMMERCE

WHOLESALE TRADE

There had been a steady evolution in the quantum and pattern of wholesale trade since the end of the 19th century. The changes were commensurate with the increase in population and the consequent increase in demand for goods and commodities, respective legislation, transport facilities, supply of capital and marketing intelligence. By the beginning of this century and even later, there did exist a nonmonetised sector of the population. Trade and comerce was in the hands of money-lenders.

Till late thirties, grains, groundnuts, turmeric, chillies and timber listed the chief articles of export trade. But volume of their export was small as compared to the present exports. A very small quantum of trade found its way to the Bombay market. Weekly bazars were the main centres of trade. The exporters or the agents of traders in distant outside towns used to buy from the producers who used to bring their goods to the bazar places. The merchants were moving in the villages to collect the goods.

From the late thirties, however, the state of trade changed considerably. Larger quantities of goods were sent to Bombay and distant markets consequent upon the availability of railway wagons and automobiles. More banking as well as insurance facilities were made available. When Second World War broke out prices soared up and consequently, the agricultural producers and speculators were highly benefited. There was an all round increase in demand both at home and abroad, and thus the volume of trade increased, while there was a shortage of consumers' goods. This was followed by the rationing of the necessaries of life, which lasted in some form or other up to 1954. In the rationing period, Satara district supplied large quantities of food-grains to the Government. With the bifurcation of the old Satara district into North and South Satara districts in 1948, important markets like Tasgaon and Islampur were alienated to South Satara (i.e., Sangli) and thereby a considerable volume of trade in cotton, tobacco, groundnut and gul was transferred to South Satara.

The history of regulation of trade in Satara district began with application in 1944 of the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act of 1939, according to which the Karad Market Committee came into existence.

The following is a description of wholesale trade in its various aspects,

Satara is fairly rich in the production of agricultural commodities like groundnut, sugarcane, turmeric, onion, jowar, coriander, bajri, etc. Consequently, these commodities form a sizable portion of the wholesale trade in this district. Institutional agencies, agricultural produce market committees being the most important of them, handle a large volume of trade, and the entire district except Khatav, Mahabaleshwar talukas and Man peta is served by them.

The important centres of wholesale trade are Satara, Karad, Koregaon, Phaltan. Lonand, Wai, Waduj, Patan, Umbraj, Rahimatpur, Wathar, Malharpeth and Masur, where the following commodities are handled: —

Satara: Groundnut, groundnut oil and cake, turmeric-, gul jowar. tur, grains, onions, medicines and sugar.

Karad: Groundnut, groundnut oil and cake. gul, turmeric, onions, chillies, powar bajri, garlic.

Koregaon: Groundnut, oil. potato, coriander, grams, gal, jowar. chawali, betel-leaf.

Phaltan : Onion, kardai, bajri, etc.

Lonand: Onion, jowar, bajri, gal, kardai.

Wai: Turmeric, gul, beans and jowar.

Wathar: Potato.

The above enumerated centres of wholesale trade are served by regulated markets, there being sub-market-yards at Wai. Waduj. Surul, Umbraj, Masur, Malharpeth. Kole, Rahimatpur and Lonand. Under terms of the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1930, in accordance with which these markets are regulated, the market committee licenses all traders, general commission agents, brokers, weighmen, hamals, and recovers licence fees from them. It also lays down regulations relating to their operations. The producers bring their produce to the yard over which cess is collected by the market committee. It is then sold by open auction or open agreement and not by secret signs. Immediately, after the bargain is struck, an agreement is entered into and signed by the seller, buyer and commission agent in the presence of an official of the market committee. Value of the sales is given to the seller immediately after delivery of the goods. Deductions regarding merchandising charges. viz., commission, insurance, brokerage, hamali, weighment, etc., are made-. The market committee also notifies the prevailing prices of commodities and arbitrates in disputes arising out of quality of commodity and terms of agreement.

The following is a description of the extent and pattern of wholesale trade at the most important centres in Satara.

Karad is by far the greatest wholesale trade centre in this district. The following statement indicates turnover of regulated commodities at Karad, in 1958-59.

Groundnut, gul, jowar and turmeric are the important marketable commodities in this market. Nearly 75 per cent, of the gul produced is exported from Karad. The rise and fall of commodity prices depend upon the speculative activities in the Bombay market. There is a good number of oil-crushing mills at Karad and its hinterland. Nearly 50 per cent, of the production of groundnut is crushed here. Consequently there is a large volume of trade in oil and oilcake. Karad is also famous for wholesale trade in jowar, bajri, turmeric and chillies.

Satara.

Satara is known for the wholesale trade in groundnut, turmeric and gul In 1958-59, the volume and value of turnover of groundnut were 35,650, Bengali maunds and Rs. 7,13,000; of turmeric 8,320 maunds and Rs. 1,73,040; and of gul 11,512 maunds and Rs. 2,53,264, respectively. There is a merchants' syndicate at Satara dealing in sugar, cocoanuts, etc. Its turnover of sugar between August and March 1960, was of about one lakh of rupees. The merchants import sugar from Kolhapur and Nira. Cocoanuts are brought from Calicut, Mysore and Malbar regions. Satara is mainly an assembling market and is a distributing centre for Satara taluka.

Koregaon.

Koregaon is a distributing centre in respect of groundnut oil and cake, potato, gul and coriander. Rice, salt, timber, sugar and cloth are imported from outside and are distributed between Koregaon, Khatav and Man talukas. Rice is brought from Mahad, Panvel, Barshi, Latur and Sholapur; salt is brought from Thana, Bhandup and Panvel; timber is purchased from Dandeli and Hubli. The timber merchants purchase from the forest contractors, and transport it in railway wagons and trucks. It is cut in a saw-mill according to requirements and is exhibited for sale.

Koregaon market is important in respect of wholesale trade in potato and groundnut. Nearly, two lakh bags of potatoes are exported from Koregaon, 80 per cent, of which are destined to Bombay. The seed for potato plantation is brought from Junnar, Khed and Manchar in Poona district. The area comprising Koregaon market produces about 1,50,000 Bengali maunds of groundnut. Groundnut is crushed, and its oil and cake are exported.

Rahimatpur has a considerable volume of trade in groundnut turmeric, coriander and gul. Its annual turnover is nearly seven lakhs of rupees in respect of groundnut, and one lakh of rupees each in respect of turmeric, coriander and gul. There are private godowns which are sometimes let on rent for storing these commodities.

Rahimatpur.

Rahimatpur is a distributing centre of groundnut, groundnut oil, turmeric and coriander and a receiving and distributing centre of gul.

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