SalevaWhat this converter does
Wholesale markets still quote many goods by the maund (من, mann) and the seer, while scales, packets and customers think in kilograms. This tool converts any of the old units, tola, chhatank, pao, seer and maund, to kilograms and grams and back. The price helper below it turns a rate for one unit into the rate for all the others, so a mandi rate per maund becomes a counter price per kg, per seer or per pao.
The definitions used
The standard system is built on the tola, which is 180 grains or 11.6638 grams. A seer is 80 tola, and the rest follow from the seer. The standard seer adopted in Pakistan is 0.933 kg, which is what this tool uses by default.
| Unit | Equal to | Standard (seer = 0.933 kg) | Mandi (maund = 40 kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tola تولہ | 180 grains | 11.6638 g | 11.6638 g |
| 1 chhatank چھٹانک | 1/16 seer = 5 tola | 58.32 g | 62.5 g |
| 1 pao پاؤ | 1/4 seer = 4 chhatank | 233.28 g | 250 g |
| 1 seer سیر | 80 tola = 16 chhatank | 0.933 kg | 1 kg |
| 1 maund من | 40 seer | 37.32 kg | 40 kg |
Many grain and produce markets now trade in a rounded maund of exactly 40 kg, which makes a seer 1 kg and a pao 250 g. If your supplier's maund is 40 kg, switch the tool to Mandi. When in doubt, ask how many kilograms their maund is. The tola stays 11.6638 g in both, which is why gold is still weighed by it.
How to use it
- Choose the standard maund or the 40 kg mandi maund.
- Type an amount and its unit. Every other unit appears on the right, with the weight written as maund, seer and chhatank as well.
- For prices, type a rate and the unit it is for. The rate for one kg, maund, seer, pao, chhatank, 100 grams and tola appears below.
Worked example
You buy rice at Rs 9,000 a maund and the supplier uses the standard maund of 37.32 kg. One kilogram costs 9,000 ÷ 37.32 = Rs 241.13, one seer costs 9,000 ÷ 40 = Rs 225 and one pao Rs 56.25. If the same Rs 9,000 were for a 40 kg maund, the kilo would cost Rs 225. The difference of about Rs 16 a kilo is why it matters which maund you were quoted.
price per kg = price per maund ÷ kg in one maund (37.32 or 40)
Questions
How many kg is one maund?
A standard maund is 40 seer of 0.933 kg each, about 37.32 kg. Many mandis now use a rounded maund of exactly 40 kg, so check which one your supplier means.
How many grams is one seer and one pao?
A standard seer is 80 tola, about 933 grams, and a pao is a quarter of that, about 233 grams. In the 40 kg mandi system a seer is 1 kg and a pao is 250 grams.
How many grams is one tola?
One tola is 11.6638 grams. Gold and silver are still priced by the tola in Pakistan and India, and the same tola is used here.
Should I sell by the kg or by the seer?
Sell in the unit your scale shows and your customers ask for, which is the kilogram in most shops today. Use the converter when you buy by the maund, to work out the cost of one kg before you set the price.
Related reading
- Selling loose goods by weight: scales, packing, rounding and the small losses in between
- Unit price calculator, to compare sacks and packs of different sizes
- Profit margin calculator, to set the selling price once you know the cost per kg
Saleva sells loose goods by weight: price sugar or daal per kilo and the bill and the stock both move by the weight you sold. Get the free Android app.