The correct option is (b).
Explanation
The economy of the Sangam Age was predominantly agrarian and relied heavily on a barter system for domestic trade. Due to the division of land into distinct eco-zones (Tinais), commodities produced in one region were exchanged for essential goods produced in another.
Analysis of the Exchange:
- Context of the Poem: The specific poem referenced illustrates the trade relationship between the Marutham (agricultural plains) and Neithal (coastal regions).
- The Commodities:
- Paddy: Cultivated in the fertile Marutham lands.
- Salt: Produced in the Neithal coastal tracts.
- The Exchange: Salt was an absolute necessity for inland populations but could not be produced there. Conversely, coastal populations required rice. Consequently, merchants (often known as Umanar, or salt merchants) moved in caravans carrying "white paddy" to exchange it specifically for salt.
- Incorrect Items:
- Gold: While gold was imported (mainly from Rome) and used for high-value transactions or foreign trade, it was not the standard barter counter-commodity for paddy in the specific domestic context described by the poem.
- Pepper: Known as "Black Gold," pepper was a major export item to the West, not the primary item exchanged for paddy in local inter-regional barter.
Key Takeaway:
In the Sangam Age domestic market, paddy and salt served as the primary media of exchange under the barter system, highlighting the economic interdependence between agricultural and coastal zones.