Various levels of commercial centres had functioned in medieval Kerala which can be classified into regional or local trade and markets, long distance overland trade and long distance overseas trade. Proliferation of agriculture necessitated the exchange of products in the market places. This led to the production of several non-agrarian products to be exchanged in the market with the agricultural products. Exchanges might have developed between the various ‘‘tinais’’ very much earlier before the establishment of the kingdom of the Perumals of Mahodayapuram in the 9th century A.D.
During the medieval **, many markets and centers of trade developed and they give us vestiges of “inter tinai’‘ exchange. During the early centuries of the **** Era, there were brisk trade contacts between the Roman world and south India. We have ample archaeological, epigraphic and literary evidences to believe this. Hoards of Roman aurei and pottery were discovered from various parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which point to the vigorous Indo- Roman trade in the early centuries of the **** Era.
Kokasandesam (14th century AD) tells us about the making of balks in paddy field during rainy reason and ploughing and gliding the fields for sowing seeds. Unnichirutevicaritham (14th century AD) describes the punchanilam of Valluvanadu. The same describes the cultivation of pepper vines sugarcane, coconut and arecanut trees, places with mango trees, jack trees, beautiful paddy fields etc.
