Surat, March 30 – The Surat Mercantile Association (SMA) successfully conducted its 198th weekly resolution meeting on Sunday, coinciding with the first session of the Hindu calendar year Samvat 2082. A total of 145 business members participated in the session, where the association presented its annual report. Over the past year, SMA received 3,050 applications, resolving 1,100 cases and helping traders recover pending dues, offering significant relief to the business community.
A key highlight of the meeting was the announcement of a joint committee between the Surat Mercantile Association and Palsana Enviro Protection Limited (PEPL). This committee will develop a comprehensive set of guidelines to resolve trade disputes between textile traders and processing houses. The move has been hailed as a historic step for the textile industry, aiming to streamline conflict resolution within the sector.
The event also honored nine prominent business families whose enterprises were established in or before 1980 and who continue to maintain an unblemished reputation in trade. The honored families included Srinivas Bhardiya of Gopal Bhardiya Textile, Phoolchand Rathod of Vardhman Group, the Ranka family of Vimalon Group, the Biyani family of Adarsh Group, the Kokra family of Ambaji Group, the Saboo family of Manbhari Group, the Juneja family of Tarun Group, Anil Agarwal of Vipul Group, and the Gupta family of Saraswati Group.
During the felicitation ceremony, veteran businessmen shared vital principles for aspiring entrepreneurs. They emphasized minimizing bad debts, avoiding unsold inventory, maintaining strong accounting practices, staying clear of excessive borrowing, adapting to market trends, and recognizing that long-term vision is essential for sustained success in business.
Several leading members of the trade community, including Raju Chhiraniya, Mahesh Patodia, Durgesh Tibrewal, Rajeev Omar, Ramkishore Bajaj, and Vijay Kothariwal, were present at the gathering, reaffirming the association’s commitment to strengthening business ethics and cooperation within Surat’s trading ecosystem.
