TRADE

CO-OPERATIVE INSTITUTIONS

Regulation of markets alone does not secure full significance unless they are served by efficient ancillary co-operative marketing societies. Regulated markets indirectly help agriculturists to secure a fair deal for their produce by eliminating malpractices and establishing healthy trade traditions, while marketing co-operatives owned by the farmers being free from profit motive are expected to be superior to any individual trader in their role as commission agents. It is the policy of the Government to give loans and subsidies to co-operative societies, particularly to the marketing and multipurpose societies, to enable them to construct godowns for affording storage facilities to the cultivators [(1) Annual Administration Report on the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1939 for the year 1954-55, (2) Working of Co-operative Sooieties in Kolhapur District for the year 1955-56 (Obtained from the Office of Assistant Registrar, Co-operative Societies). Working of Co-operative Societies in Kolhapur District (Assistant Registrar's Report 1955-56).]. In 1955-56, fifteen societies in the district were advanced Government and project loans to the tune of Rs. 65,171 for the construction of godowns. There were five marketing societies in the district in 1954-55. One more for Radhanagari taluka was registered in 1955-56. Since sale unions at Kolhapur experienced great difficulty in disposing of gul in 1954-55, some leading marketing societies decided that they should have more shops for co-operative institutions. Eight more shops of co-operative societies were opened in the Kolhapur Market. The total number of shops opened by co-operative societies was 12 excluding that of Varna Valley Purchase and Sale Union.

The following table illustrates the extent to which co-operative institutions have received the agricultural produce of the total arrivals in different markets:-

TABLE No. 18.

ARRIVALS OF REGULATED COMMODITIES IN CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES FOR 1954-55 AND 1955-56.

The following table shows figures of arrivals and sales in respect of gul and groundnut handled by co-operative societies in the Kolhapur market:-

TABLE No. 19.

ACTIVITIES OF CO-OPERATIVE INSTITUTIONS FUNCTIONING IN KOLHAPUR MARKET (1956).

There were only two co-operative institutions functioning in the Gadhinglaj market dealing in regulated commodities. They were: (1) The Gadhinglaj Taluka Kharedi-Vikri Sahakari Sangh Ltd.; and (2) The Shetkari Sahakari Sangh Ltd., Kolhapur Branch, Gadhinglaj. The volume of business done by these two institutions in the capacity of general commission agents is given below:-

I. GADHINGLAJ TALUKA KHAREDI-VIKRI SAHAKARI SANGH LTD.

II. SHETKARI SAHAKARI SANGH LTD., KOLHAPUR-GADHINGLAJ BRANCH.

These two co-operative organisations, functioning as general commission agents, rendered good service to the agriculturists. The total average of annual agricultural produce marketed by them in 1955-56 came to 19.6 per cent. of the total arrivals in the Gadhinglaj Market Yard.

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