Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c6.s2.t2.39

c6.s2.t2.39

The exports of Hindustan were numerous and included a variety of indigenous products, especially grain and cotton cloth. Some of the countries round the Persian Gulf depended on India for their entire food supply.² The Islands in the Pacific Ocean, the Malay Islands, and the East Coast of Africa were fairly extensive markets for Indian goods. The export trade of Hindustan was carried on mainly through the ports of Gujarat and Bengal. The principal exports of Gujarat consisted of precious stones, indigo, cotton, hides, and ‘many other kinds of merchandise too tedious to mention.’ The cotton cloth and other textiles were especially important items of export.³ Other minor exports consisted of cornelians, gingelly oil, southernwood, spikenard, tutenag, opium, indgo-cakes, and certain other drugs unknown to Europeans, but greatly esteemed by the people of Malacca and China.⁴ The exports in agricultural produce consisted of large quantities of wheat, millet, rice, pulses, oilseeds, scents, and other similar articles. This list is, however, by no means exhaustive. According to Varthema, Bengal was the richest country in the world for cotton, ginger, sugar, grain, and flesh of every kind. Barbosa considers sugar the chief article of export from Bengal, and in other respects substantially agrees with the statement of Varthema.⁵ Barros observes that the wealth of Bengal before the rise of Sher Shah to power was considered equal in amount to the joint wealth of Gujarat and Vijayanagar.⁶ How far it depended on its export trade is not clear.