Dock receipt is an acknowledgement of receipt of goods issued by the dock authorities to the owner of the goods. Dock receipt is not document of title, so the right of taking delivery of goods cannot be transferred.

General merchandise warehouse is the common type of warehouse. The goods which do not require special treatment all stored in these warehouse. They are simply resting places and can he easily used by the manufacturers, wholesalers and the retailers.

Every state government is given power to establish its own Warehousing Corporation after getting approval from the CWC. 50% of the capital is contributed by the cwe and the balance 50% contributed by State Government.

The documents used in Warehousing are:
(i) Warehouse Warrants
(ii) Warehousing Receipts
(iii) Dock Warrant
(iv) Delivery order
(v) Dock Receipt

Warehouses render invaluable services to the society by performing the following functions:
(i) Storage
(ii) Price stabilization
(iii) Equalization of demand and supply

Central Warehousing Corporation was established in 1957. The available storage capacity of Central Warehousing Corporation is 11.17million tonnes and with the operation through 464 warehousing : centers across the country (as on 30th September, 2017).
Functions of Central Warehousing Corporation
(i) To provide agency services for scientific storage of agricultural produce, seeds, manures fertilizers, agricultural implements and other notified commodities.
(ii) To issue a negotiable warehouse receipt for procuring credit to the owners of goods.
(iii) To preserve the produce deposited with care and protect against insects and various pests and deterioration due to moisture and dampness.
(iv) To act as an agent of the government for the purchase and sale, storage and distribution of specified commodities and transport to and from warehouse.
(v) To reduce the cost of storage and facilitate the marketing of produce through proper grading.

India is an agrarian country but the importance of warehousing was not felt till 1950. Agriculture contributes 16 percent of the overall GDP and accounts for employment of approximately 52 percent of the Indian population. It is estimated that more than 40 percent of our agricultural productions wasted due to poor storage facilities.
On the recommendation of the All India Rural Credit Survey Committee, the Agricultural Produce (Development and warehousing) Corporation Act enacted in 1956, authorised the Government to setup National Co-operative Development and Warehousing Board to develop agricultural Co-operatives and warehousing.

Co-operative warehouses are constructed in rural areas to help the farmers who cannot have their own storage facility. The interested people who would become of such societies form these for their own use. These warehouses help them to store various items like fertilisers, seeds, pesticides, paddy, etc., at cheap cost. Co-operative farms are also useful for fisheries, dairy farming, poultry, etc., Its efficiency depends upon the fall utilisation of space, good management loyalty of its members and resources.

From 2019, new technology could be revolutionary and improving efficiency in warehouse by Warehousing Management System (WMS). Technologies including artificial intelligence, 3D printing and self-driving vehicle could be more widely used in warehouses everywhere sooner than you think. By 2030, warehouses will be a part of initiative to achieve Zero net energy.
Warehouse buildings will operate 24 x 7 x 365 and be designed with sustainability. By creating strategies, warehouse will save costs and prevent harmful emissions. Solar panels will become the main sources. of energy for warehouses.

(i) Some of the products are to be stored in cold storages which uses the technique of refrigeration to extend the period of marketing. Goods are transported in refrigerated containers and stored in refrigerated warehouses.
(ii) These warehouses are used for storing perishable goods like fruits, vegetables, eggs, butter, fish, meat, etc. Goods stored in cold storages without deterioration in quality, can be made available throughout the year.

India is an agrarian country but the importance of warehousing was not felt till 1950. Agriculture contributes 16 percent of the overall GDP and accounts for employment of approximately 52 percent of the Indian population. It is estimated that more than 40 percent of our agricultural productions wasted due to poor storage facilities.
On the recommendation of the All India Rural Credit Survey Committee, the Agricultural Produce (Development and warehousing) Corporation Act enacted in-1956, authorized. the Government to setup National Co-operative Development and Warehousing Board to develop agricultural Co-operatives and warehousing.

(i) Warehouse Warrant:
(1) It is a document issued in favour of the owner or depositor of goods by the warehouse keeper.
(2) This is a document of title of goods and can be transferred by simple endorsement and delivery.
(3) To transfer all the goods the warehouse warrant is sufficient.
(ii) Warehouse Keeper's Receipt:
(1) It is a document issued by the warehouse keeper, which acknowledges the receipt of goods from the depositor of goods.
(2) It also shows the existence of an agreement to keep the goods in the warehouse subject to certain conditions.
(3) This is not a document of title to goods and it is not transferable.
(iii) Dock Warrant:
(1) Dock is a place in the harbor where the goods are loaded into the ship. Dock warrant is a document of title of goods issued by dock authorities.
(2) This document certifies that the dock authorities hold the goods. To take delivery of the goods this certificate should be given back to dock authorities.
(3) The right of getting delivery of goods can be assigned to third parties too.
(iv) Dock Receipt:
(1) Dock receipt is an acknowledgement of receipt of goods issued by dock authorities to the owner of the goods.
(2) It is not a document of title of goods. Therefore, the right of taking of delivery of goods cannot be transferred.
(v) Delivery Order:
(1) This is a document through which the depositor directs the warehouse keeper to deliver the specified goods either to the party mentioned in the document or to the bearer.
(2) The warehouse keeper delivers the goods as per the instruction. Transfer of ownership takes place through this document.
(3) To transfer all the goods the warehouse warrant is sufficient. If only part of the goods are to be transferred then the delivery order is needed. The delivery order is to be accompanied by warehouse warrant.

(i) Advantages :
(1) It safeguards the stock of the merchants who do not have storing place.
(2) Warehouses reduce distribution cost of the traders by storing the goods in bulk and allow the trader to take the goods in small lots to his shop.
(3) It helps in selection of channel of distribution. The producer will prefer whether to appoint a wholesaler or retailer.
(4) It assists in maintaining the continuous sales and avoids the possibilities of "out of stock" position.
(5) It creates employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled workers, to improve their standard of living.
(ii) Drawbacks of Warehousing :
(1) There are no adequate transport facilities between the place of production and warehouses.
(2) Lack of sufficient storage facilities for different commodities such as perishable and non-perishable commodities.
(3) Complicated formalities are to be fulfilled at the warehouses. The illiterate and innocent farmers are not able to cope with these procedures.
(4) Complicated process of Barcode technology can reduce the storing of goods by some producers.
(5) Unavoidable delay for obtaining financial assistance may cause loss to the owner of goods.

(i) Storage:
(1) There is a time gap between the time of production and the time of consumption and also between quantity produced and the quantity demanded.
(2) The surplus goods are stored properly for the purpose of supplying them at right place and the right time.
(ii) price stabilization :
(1) Warehousing ensures price stabilization by supplying goods as and when demanded.
(2) It acts as a cushion to absorb price fluctuations and supplies the goods at more or less uniform prices throughout the year.
(iii) Equalization of Demand and Supply:
(1) Warehousing equalizes the demand and supply of goods by storing the goods when they are not demanded and releasing them when there is a demand.
(2)Thus the consumers get the commodities regularly even during the off-season periods.
(iv) Business Finance:
Based on the goods deposited in a warehouse, the depositor can get finance from banks and other financial institutions by showing the receipt issued by the warehouse keeper.
(v) Risk bearing:
(1) In case of damage to the goods, warehouse keeper compensates the loss caused to the owner of the goods.
(2) Thus, warehouses bear the loss of risk involved in storage of goods.
(vi) Preparation for sale:
(1) Modern warehouses undertake the functions of sorting, packing and labeling for the purpose of making the goods suitable for marketing. 
(2) Hence warehousing is needed for making the goods suitable for sale.
(vii) Widening the marketing area:
A manufacturer can sell the goods to different marketing areas by establishing branch warehouses or taking the service of rental warehouses at the required places. Thus warehousing widens the market for the goods.
(viii) Value added services:
(1) Warehouses also provide certain value added services, such as in transit mixing, grading, packaging and labelling.
(2) Sometimes, goods are repacked and labelled again at the time of inspection by prospective buyers.