Nature of Trade in South Canara in the Pre Colonial Period

South Canara or Dakshina Kannada is a part of Karnataka state situated in the southwestern part of India. South Canara was known for its rich agricultural produce, including spices, agricultural products, and textiles. South Canara had a long history of trade, with ports like Mangalore being important for both local and international commerce. In the pre-colonial period, the region’s traders and trade guilds played a major role. South Canara had trading connections with Arab and Jewish traders. Indian ports maintained contact with West Asian and African ports. Indian traders continued to play an important role in the pre-colonial period. In this paper, an effort is made to analyze the nature of trade in South Canara in the pre-colonial period. The paper followed historical and analytical methodology and referred to and analyzed available primary and secondary sources, including reports, books, and journals.