Karnataka villagers resort to barter amid lockdown

The barter system has been used for centuries and long before money was invented. People exchanged services and goods for other services and goods in return and the Karnataka villagers have revived an age-old system of commercial exchange due to this nationwide lockdown.

Mysuru: The novel coronavirus has emerged as a single hiccup across the globe and the 21-day nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus has affected the daily life of the people.

In such a gloomy situation, the people of various villages in Karnataka have adopted the 'barter system' with mutual understanding to get food.

The villagers of Mandakalli, Kenchalagudu Kallur and Naganahalli villages in the district have come forward to the exchange of food in this exchange system.

According to sources, a week into the lockdown, the villagers decided to trade foodgrains, millets, vegetables, milk and milk products to ensure each household got what it needed.

It is pertinent to be mentioned that in rural areas, most families are running out of cash. So villagers decided to barter goods, instead. Besides dairy and farming, villagers exchange fruits, vegetables and flowers in nearby villages.

Notably, it is an old method of exchange. The is system has been used for centuries and long before money was invented. People exchanged services and goods for other services and goods in return and the Karnataka villagers have revived an age-old system of commercial exchange due to this nationwide lockdown.