Consider the following statements about the Dutch trade in Mughal period :
- 1. The Dutch transported silk goods from Bengal through Hooghly
- 2. Cloves and nutmegs were collected at Surat by the Dutch and exported to Europe
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2024
1. The Dutch transported silk goods from Bengal through Hooghly: This is correct. The Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie – VOC) had significant trading interests in Bengal, which was a major centre for textile production, including silk. They established a factory at Chinsurah (near Hooghly) and were actively involved in transporting silk, cotton textiles, saltpetre, and other goods from Bengal via the Hooghly River to their ships for export to Europe and other Asian markets.
2. Cloves and nutmegs were collected at Surat by the Dutch and exported to Europe: This is incorrect. Cloves and nutmegs were highly valuable spices originating from the Moluccas (Spice Islands) in Southeast Asia. The Dutch established a virtual monopoly over the trade of these spices by controlling their source in Southeast Asia. Surat was a major port for trade in goods from the Indian subcontinent, Persia, and Arabia. While the Dutch traded at Surat, their primary source and export point for Moluccan spices were Southeast Asian ports like Batavia (Jakarta), from where they were shipped directly to Europe or other destinations. Spices like cloves and nutmegs were not sourced or collected in significant quantities *at Surat* for export to Europe.