Cotton, Textiles Production and Trade during the Eighteenth Century Gujarat

Abstract

Gujarat has a thriving agricultural economy that produced grains and commercial crops. Cotton stands as one of the important item of trade during the period under study. Since ancient times, the province has been a nexus for trade and commerce. Gujarat's ports, such as Lothal, Broach, Cambay, and Surat played an important part in economic operations of the province. Gujarat received a large amount of spices and exported a considerable volume of indigo, which was a popular commodity in the early seventeenth century. However, raw cotton and textiles replaced indigo as a major trading item in the eighteenth century. It was shipped to Bangal, China, West Asia, and Europe.