Haveri
The agricultural produce market in the city was once at its peak. Farmers used to come to this market for six months of the year to sell Jayadhar and Bt cotton. The Dalals bought cotton for six months and spent the rest of the days engaged in various activities, including ginning.
The labourers and the dalals got commission, and the buyers got the cotton they wanted in the market. Hundreds of buyers from different parts of the state, including Gokak in Belagavi district, used to come to market for purchase. During the season, 25,000 cotton sticks were required every day. Then it came to a point where it was only on Monday and Thursday. There has been a gradual decline in the demand and now 200 eggs are required on Mondays and Thursdays. Despite the current cotton season, the demand for cotton bangles has come down.
The Cotton market, which used to be full of cotton in the season, is now in a shambles. Most of the cotton shops are now locked. The particles that the store should have filled are empty. A handful of dalal’s shops are now functioning in the market, which has always seen the labourers and the movement of vehicles. The labourers who were working in the market have lost their jobs and are going to work for others.The dalals, who were damaged in the market, have left the shop and turned to other work. Many of the occupations that depended on the cotton market have now disappeared. Here and there, cotton pots are being sold in shops. The merchants do not have the courage to sell them. The number of buyers has come down. There is no ginning in the ginning factory. There are many reasons for this, say traders here.
