Why did merchants' participation increase in the Non-Cooperation Movement?

Correct answer: Because swadeshi trade could grow

Merchants often supported the movement because the boycott of foreign goods could increase demand for Indian-made products. Swadeshi campaigns offered Indian traders and producers an opportunity to expand indigenous markets and reduce competition from imported goods. Option A is correct, although merchant support also reflected nationalist feeling. The other options are unsuitable: foreign-cloth sales did not represent swadeshi aims, and no permanent market-closing order explains their participation.