DHULE

Dhule, in North Maharashtra, is an important center for agriculture and trade, especially known for its cotton and onion markets. Most people in the region rely on farming for their income, making the local economy highly sensitive to crop prices and government policies. In recent years, falling prices for key crops like onions and cotton have caused serious distress among farmers. This has not only affected the local economy but also influenced political outcomes, with many farmers expressing their anger through their votes. These developments show how closely Dhule’s markets are tied to the region’s economic and political situation, making them important to understand for anyone studying this area.

Agra Road Market, in Dhule city, operates daily from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm along the Mumbai-Agra Highway. Fifty shops sell clothing, household items, and handicrafts like bamboo baskets, crafted by women for twenty to fifty rupees. Traders from ten villages supply goods. The market, a trade point since the 1970s, grew with highway access. It closes during Diwali and heavy rains. Its location draws travelers and locals.

Kusumbe’s Agricultural Input Market, in Sakri taluka, operates seasonally before kharif and rabi sowing, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Thirty stalls sell seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation tools. Cooperative societies and private dealers serve farmers from twenty villages. Started in the 1990s, it expanded with digital krishi kendras offering soil testing. It pauses during monsoons. The market supports Sakri’s farming needs.

Bamboo Galli, in Dhule city, runs daily from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Twenty artisans sell bamboo utensils, decorative items, and baskets for fifteen to forty rupees. Indigenous communities craft these over five to seven days. The market, active since the 1960s, grew with urban demand. It closes during Ganesh Chaturthi. Its sustainable goods draw eco-conscious buyers.

Budh Bazaar is a long-running weekly market held every Wednesday in Devpur, Dhule city, operating from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. Located near the Devpur bus stand, the market features around forty stalls offering a variety of low-cost items, including clothing, kitchenware, snacks such as vada, and traditional wooden tools, some of which are considered antique. It draws regular crowds from fifteen surrounding villages, serving as a key marketplace for rural and urban residents alike.

Artisans and local vendors also sell handcrafted pottery, typically priced between ₹20 and ₹50, making it an affordable option for buyers seeking functional or decorative items. Historically, Budh Bazaar functioned as a barter market in the 1950s, before gradually transitioning to a cash-based system by the 1980s. While it plays an important role in Dhule's informal economy, the market pauses operations during Diwali holidays and flood conditions, reflecting its vulnerability to seasonal changes.

Despite its popularity, the bazaar’s roadside setup has led to serious traffic congestion, often disrupting public transport and emergency access. In response to repeated complaints, the Dhule Municipal Corporation (DMC) took action in December 2023, banning stall setups and deploying enforcement teams with police support to dismantle the market. This led to protests from vendors who rely on Budh Bazaar for their livelihood, many of whom requested relocation support or better regulation instead of removal. The situation underscores the tension between urban planning, public access, and the preservation of informal markets that provide essential goods at affordable prices to a wide population.

Gur Market, near Dhule’s old city, trades grains, pulses, and jaggery daily from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Fifty stalls handle ten thousand quintals yearly. Merchants from twenty villages supply goods. The market, active since the early 20th century, was a cotton trade hub before APMC markets. It closes during monsoons. Its wholesale role supports north Maharashtra.

Krishi Utpanna Bazar, in Dhule city, operates daily from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm. Farmers from thirty villages sell fruits, vegetables, and grains in sixty stalls. Traders supply local shops. Started in the 1970s, it grew with irrigation projects. It pauses during the Pola festival. The market ensures fresh produce access.

Malegaon Road Cloth Market, in Dhule city, sells sarees, garments, and textiles daily from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. Forty shops offer wholesale prices, drawing buyers from Madhya Pradesh. Women artisans sell handwoven fabrics for one hundred to five hundred rupees. Active since the 1980s, it peaks during Diwali. It closes during heavy rains. Its trade links reflect Dhule’s textile heritage.

Mirchi Bazaar, in Dondaicha, is Asia’s largest chili market, operating daily from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. One hundred stalls trade twenty thousand quintals yearly, per APMC records. Farmers from fifty villages supply chilies for processing and export. The market, which started in the 1960s, grew with global demand. It pauses during monsoons. Its scale supports Shindkheda’s economy.

Pach Kandil Market, one of Dhule’s oldest, sells heritage goods like pottery and wooden tools daily from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Thirty stalls serve locals and tourists. Artisans craft items over ten days, priced at twenty to one hundred rupees. A trade hub since the 1800s, it grew with railway access. It closes during Diwali. Its historical role draws buyers.

Phoolwala Chowk, in Dhule city, sells flowers for pooja and events daily from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm. Twenty stalls offer marigolds and roses for ten to thirty rupees per kg. Farmers from ten villages supply blooms. Active since the 1970s, it peaks during festivals. It pauses during heavy rains. Its role supports local rituals.

Sakri Bazaar, in Sakri town, trades forest produce like tendu leaves, mahua flowers, and honey daily from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm. Forty stalls sell medicinal herbs and grains. Indigenous communities, including Bhil artisans, offer earthen pots for fifteen to forty rupees. The market, a haat since the 1940s, grew with organic demand. It closes during the Pola festival. Its tribal focus preserves local traditions.

Shivaji Market, in Dhule city, sells vegetables, fish, meat, clothing, and electronics daily from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. Seventy stalls, upgraded with roofing in 2020, serve urban buyers. Fish traders from Gujarat supply catches, priced at one hundred to two hundred rupees per kg. A market since the 1960s, it grew with municipal support. It closes during Ganesh Chaturthi. Its diversity draws locals.

Shirpur Cotton Market, in Shirpur taluka, trades cotton daily from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm from October to February. Eighty stalls handle fifteen thousand quintals yearly. Farmers from forty villages supply to ginning units nearby. The market, a hub since the 1900s, adopted digital payments in 2020. It pauses during monsoons. Its scale supports Shirpur’s cotton industry.

Sindkheda Weekly Bazaar, in Sindkheda town, runs on Mondays from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. Fifty stalls sell produce, livestock, and bullock-cart tools. Farmers from twenty villages trade cattle for ten thousand to fifty thousand rupees. The market, active since the 1950s, grew with highway access. It closes during Diwali. Folk musicians perform, adding cultural value.

Sunday Bazaar, in Nardana near the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border, operates on Sundays from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. Seventy stalls sell tools, vegetables, footwear, and garments. Cattle markets trade fifty to one hundred animals, including bullock exhibitions. Farmers from the Tapi basin supply produce. A barter hub since the 1920s, it grew with rail access. It pauses during the Pola festival. Its border location fosters trade.

Songir’s Temple Fair Market, in Dhule taluka, runs annually during the jatra at Songir Fort’s mandir in February. Fifty stalls sell trinkets, toys, and sweets like pedha. Farmers and artisans from twenty villages trade goods. Active since the 1800s, it supports the rural economy. Bullock races and bhajans draw crowds. It operates for three days, closing post-jatra.

Tribal Haat, in Akkalkuwa taluka, runs Wednesdays from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm. Bhil and Pawara artisans sell forest produce, ragi, millets, wild berries, bamboo baskets, and herbal remedies in forty stalls. Women trade seed necklaces and earthen pots for ten to thirty rupees. A barter market since the 1900s, it adopted cash with NGO support. It closes during monsoons. Its tribal focus preserves local identity.

Tribal Market, in Dhadgaon’s Satpuda hills, operates on Fridays from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm. Fifty stalls sell maize, pulses, goats, and forest produce like mushrooms. Women artisans offer dyed fabrics for fifty to one hundred rupees. A haat since the 1800s, it follows lunar schedules. Government schemes support forest produce sales. It pauses during heavy rains. Its remote setting draws tribal traders.

Cattle markets operate in Dhule, Shirpur, and Shindkheda talukas, typically on Sundays from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. Farmers trade fifty to one hundred bulls and goats, priced at ten thousand to fifty thousand rupees. The Sunday Bazaar in Nardana hosts bullock exhibitions. These markets, barter-based in the 1900s, became cash-based by the 1970s. They halt during the Pola festival and emergencies.