Which of the following statements about weekly markets are correct?
(A) They attract moneylenders, entertainers and astrologers besides traders from outside the local area.
(B) For many visitors to a weekly haat, the primary reason to come is economic.
(C) Local people sell forest produce to traders, who carry it to other villages for resale.
(D) Local people buy essentials such as salt and agricultural implements at the weekly haat.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → A and D only
(A) They attract moneylenders, entertainers and astrologers besides traders from outside the local area. — Correct. Weekly markets draw traders from outside the local area. They also attract moneylenders, entertainers, astrologers and many other specialists who offer their services and goods.
(B) For many visitors to a weekly haat, the primary reason to come is economic. — Incorrect. Trade does happen at the haat, but for many visitors the primary reason to come is social. They come to meet kin, arrange marriages and exchange gossip.
(C) Local people sell forest produce to traders, who carry it to other villages for resale. — Incorrect. Local people do sell their forest produce to traders. The traders then carry it to the towns for resale, so the produce goes to urban buyers.
(D) Local people buy essentials such as salt and agricultural implements at the weekly haat. — Correct. At the weekly haat, local people buy essentials such as salt and agricultural implements. They also buy consumption items such as bangles and jewellery.
NCERT (2026-27): “4.1 Sociological Perspectives on Markets and the Economy … “They attract traders from outside the local area, as well as moneylenders, entertainers, astrologers, and a host of other specialists offering their services and wares. …” “The weekly haat is a common sight in rural and even urban India. In hilly and forested areas (especially those inhabited by adivasis), where settlements are far-flung, roads and communications poor, and the economy relatively undeveloped, the weekly market is the major institution for the exchange of goods as well as for social intercourse. Local people come to the market to sell their agricultural or forest produce to traders, who carry it to the towns for resale, and they buy essentials such as salt and agricultural implements, and consumption items such as bangles and jewellery. But for many visitors, the primary reason to come to the market is social – to meet kin, to arrange marriages, exchange gossip, and so on.” |