The two major sources of finance for export agriculture were: (i) Shikarpuri shroffs, and (ii) Nattukottai Chettiars. In addition, there were many other groups of bankers and traders who financed export agriculture in Central and Southeast Asia.
Hyderabadi Sindhi traders indulged both in trading and money-lending. They operated in India and also in other European colonies. From the 1860s, they began to operate in many parts of the world. They established flourishing centres at busy ports worldwide. They used to sell local and imported curios to tourists.
With the growth of comfortable passenger vessels, tourism increased manifold. This brought in its wake a boom for trade and industry.
