About

Posta Bazar, a wholesale commodity market, came into being existence in the mid nineteenth century when India was still under the British Rule. Primarily it was used as a Stocking Market, being situated beside the river Hooghly. The trading at that time was solely conducted through river line transportation system. Calcutta, being the principal city of British administration, was flourishing and developing fast as a commercial hub of Eastern India. Posta was rapidly becoming a vast commercial market serving as a distribution point for Eastern India comprising of – Bengal, Bangladesh, upper and lower Assam, Andaman & Nicobar, Bihar and Orissa. Proximity to the Calcutta Port was its added advantage and with the introduction  of Railways in early twentieth century, potential of Posta Market grew and it became the main commercial market in the entire Eastern India dealing in food items. Rice in particularly contributed to its growth as new areas in the hinterland of South Bengal flourished rapidly. By the mid twentieth century, Posta market commanded the whole of the Eastern India in the business of essential food commodities and became the biggest such market in terms of quantity, variety, and transaction value. It still holds its place today as the prime market of Pulses, Edible & Vegetable Oil, Sugar, Flour, Salt, Groundnut, Gur, Wheat Products, Chira, Lime and Iron & Steel.

The Posta Bazar Merchant’s Association was formed and registered as the prime governing body of this market on 13th June 1973. It was formed with the purpose of promoting and developing the trading business at Posta. The core governing body of this Association consists of 40 Executive Committee Members having expertise in various fields – apart from the governing executive committee, there are various sub committees (Cells) like Pulses Cell, Ground Nut Cell, Oil Cell etc.  which take care of day to day affairs in these particular line items. The Posta Bazar Merchant’s Association is a member of Bharat Chamber of Commerce, Federation of West Bengal trade Association and Confederation of West Bengal Trade Associations.  Approximately 900 shop owners, 10,000 laborer’s and over 9000 employees work in this market. The Merchant’s Association also runs a Charitable Trust for giving relief to the poorer section of the community by way of medical, educational and other assistance and has been always very active during natural calamities in the country.