Spatial Linkages between Periodic and Daily Markets of Rajasthan!

The behaviour of market-place participants is a determining factor of spatial interaction, not only within the market but also in a particular region. On the one hand every shopping centre or a shop has its spatial linkages, while on the other hand each market centre (periodic or permanent) have its regional linkages.

Although various geo-economic and socio-cultural factors are responsible for the spatial interaction, but it is the behaviour of market-place participants which determined its degree. Therefore, an attempt has been done to analyze the nature of spatial linkages within and between periodic and daily markets.

Spatial Linkages of Periodic Markets:

Periodic markets in a region are inter-linked in a system which controls the movement of traders as well as consumers. The integrated system of occurrence of periodic markets is commonly known as ‘market cycle,’ which denotes a regularity in transactions and movement of goods and people between producer and consumer. In every region there is a complete or partially complete integrated sequence of markets.

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The notable point is that spatial integration of periodic markets has been possible through the system of market cycle, more specifically through the ‘market shift,’ which needs detail analysis in order to understand spatial integration.

The ‘pattern of market shift’ is an interpretation of spatial processes functioning in a region through periodic markets. The concept of market shift has been explained by trader hypothesis and consumer hypothesis elaborated by R.H.T. Smith. According to the trader hypothesis, the traders ‘fallow circumferential routes’ around the aggregate market cycle, whereas under the consumer hypothesis they cross and re-cross the group of markets several times during the week.

While Ukuw (1969,159) considered market as a functional unit and warned that ‘the concept of the marketing ring’ must be applied with caution since it suggests an institutionalized order and a uniformity which may not exist (1969, 159). On the other hand, C.A. Smith (1974,185) has suggested ‘commodity hypothesis’.

Accordingly ‘market schedules will be attained so that adjacent market places that supply different types of goods would meet on different days; these will be at different levels of the market-place hierarchy.’

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The field study conducted in the region under study reveals the fact that-

(i) Market shift is a common feature throughout the region,

(ii) Absolute trader and/or consumer movements are not prevalent, but there is a combination of movement of both trader and consumer,

(iii) There is an absence of commodity specialization in these markets, thus market shift is not determined by commodity flow, and

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(iv) The pattern of market shift provides spatial interaction and integration in a given region.

The spatial pattern of weekly markets in Rajasthan based on market shift and spatial linkages has been generalized. The seven days system (Kanpur) operates in a start like pattern. Thus, a trader can move from one market to another and the whole region is served by this system.

The consumers of adjacent market have option to visit nearby markets apart from their own market. While the villages located in central part have option to visit any of these market depends upon their contact and connectivity. The conditions in six days system (Atru) is also more or less same to the seven days system, but in this case spacing becomes wider.

The five and four days system (Bakani) forms a close link between markets and the market area overlaps each other. The three days system is found either in a triangular form (Nadoti) or in a linear pattern. The triangular system is best suited both to traders and consumers.

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The best example of this system can be seen in Nadoti tehsil of Sawai Madhopur district in which seven periodic markets have formed three triangles, thus each market have direct link with at least two other markets. In linear system a trader has to move one market to another and return to his base by a longer route.

The two-day linkage system is a common feature in the region under study. Similarly isolated markets are also located either for distant from other periodic markets or not having any sequence in market days with nearby market. The same day adjacent market system can also be seen in Sawai Madhopur district.

In this system both traders and consumers have option to visit market of their choice. Sometime these markets are also competitive markets. In brief, weekly markets, though, periodic in nature forms a spatial system which is the product of geo-economic conditions of the south-eastern Rajasthan and serve the rural people in fulfilling their economic and social demands.

The choice of consumers visit to a particular market is determined by various factors like-

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(i) Nearness to market,

(ii) Easy accessibility,

(iii) Size of the market,

(iv) Specialization of market in trade of particular commodities,

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(v) Profitability, and

(vi) Economic and social relations specially with traders.

In case of isolated market there is no choice. But when the number of market increases, the choice also diversifies. In case of same day market the choice is clear, while on different day markets the overlapping starts. The contact zone is developed according to the location of markets, i.e. circular, triangular, hexagonal or linear.

Spatial Linkages of Agricultural (Regulated) Markets:

The regulated agricultural marketing system has two aspects of spatial linkage, vicinal linkages, i.e.

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(i) Vicinal linkages or linkages with surrounding region, and

(ii) Inter-market linkages.

(i) Vicinal Spatial Linkages:

Each regulated market has its surrounding area in which there has been a close spatial linkage that can be termed as area of vicinal spatial linkage. In fact, market area of a particular market forms a region of the highest spatial relationship. As we go away from the market this relationship becomes weak. Here starts the marginal region, where forces of another market merged.

This can be stated that with the increase in distance from market, spatial links with that market becomes week. The relative location of various markets in a region is a determining factor of spatial relationship. Other factors like accessibility, productivity, size of the market, also play a vital role in vicinal spatial relationship.

(ii) Inter-Market Linkages:

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A market, regulated or otherwise cannot live in isolation, its relationship with other markets is of prime concern to geographers. There is a close relationship between similar type of markets and also with higher and lower order markets. This relationship is more in the form of inter-dependence and in most cases complementary.

Generally lower order markets acts as feeder markets to higher order markets. This relationship in regulated markets is of two types, viz., first in primary-secondary and rural assembly and secondly in various categories of regulated markets as shown in Fig. 18-A and B.

In Rajasthan State, regulated marketing become functional through primary regulated markets, which have sub-yards as collecting centres. Each sub-yard, although a separate collecting centre is either located within the town or in nearby settlements. Its administration is controlled by ‘Krishi Upaj Mandi Samiti.’

In fact, these are secondary market and their main function is to provide facilities to farmers and also to share the burden of primary market. Even data of the arrivals of agricultural products at sub-yards have been included as data of primary markets. The lowest complementary centres are the rural assembly centres, either permanent or functional during harvesting season. These centres are complementary either to sub-yards or to primary market.  

In Rajasthan State, regulated markets are of five types, viz., super ‘A’ class and A, B, C and D class. Super ‘A’ or special class markets are also ‘A’ grade, but when their annual income exceeds Rs.60 lakh, their status are upgraded. In 1988, there were only two super ‘A’ markets, while their number in 1990 has increased to five.

Officially there is no link between these categories of markets. But our field study reveals that there is a link of inter-dependence between these markets on regional basis. An inter-market link between various categories of market as shown in Fig. 18-B exist because it is beneficial to traders. The super ‘A’ and ‘A’ class regulated market act as regional centres having maximum spatial interaction.

Spatial Linkages of Market Towns:

The above analysis of regulated markets is limited to the spatial linkages through movement of agricultural products, although these markets are also the market towns. But overall spatial interaction is only revealed by the analysis of retail trading or in other words by consumers.

Each market town has its spatial linkages, this is an area which a market serve and can be termed as ‘market area’ or ‘service area.’ The area served by a market is a result of-

(i) Size of the market,

(ii) Economic structure of the market,

(iii) Nature of accessibility,

(iv) Range of goods, as well as of

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(v) Consumer behaviour.

Geographers have done considerable work on delimitation of trade area and its characteristics, but for present analysis it is not desirable to discuss methods, etc. The general assumption regarding spatial linkages of market towns is-

(i) Bigger the size of the market more will be the spatial linkages, and

(ii) All market centres are having an inter-locking or nesting pattern of market area, thus they form a spatial system.


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