'Government of Bahrain Annual Report for Year 1362 (January 1943 - December 1943)' [‎297r] (43/72)

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The sugar ration of 4 lbs. per month was reduced in April to 2 lbs. and then increased to 2^ lbs.
Here again local custom complicated the matter of rationing. The village communities normally use
scarcely any sugar, the non-Arab town communities, especially Persians, use a great deal. It was
found that villagers were trading their sugar ration to people employed in smuggling it out of Bahrain,
therefore the Government took steps to limit the sale of sugar in village shops. Subsequently an
adequate quota of sugar was allotted to Bahrain by the Government of India which was later increased
by an additional 25 tons monthly for use as barter. All meat, charcoal, firewood, potatoes, fresh fruit,
etc., ear imported into Bahrain from Persia. The Persian nakhudas normally sold their goods in
Bahrain and bought other commodities to take back to Persia. After rationing existed they were
unable to buy sugar, piece-goods, etc., in Bahrain. It was no longer in their interests to bring meat to
Bahrain. In order to ensure the import of these essential necessities the Persian nakhudas were
were allowed to purchase sugar and tea in Bahrain equivalent to the value of the meat, firewood, etc.,
which they imported. The arrangement is working well.
Tea and coffee were rationed on 1st Rabi-al-thani (7th April), the ration was 2 and 4 ounces
per head per month respectively. This became necessary because owners of tea and coffee hid their
stocks and refused to sell. On 1st Shaban (3rd August), rationing of tea and coffee was stopped as
sufficient supplies of these commodities reached Bahrain. A monthly quota from India was allowed
consisting of 20 tons of tea and 32 tons of coffee and a consignment of coffee arrived from Aden.
The Government was again the sole importer of essential foodstuffs such as flour, barley, dates,
wheat and sugar but the quotas of tea, coffee and ghee were divided among local pre-war importers
of these commodities. Some forty lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. were utilised by the Government throughout the
year in purchasing supplies for the country. It was fortunate that the State's financial resources
were sufficient to provide this capital for buying food to feed the population.
Methods of distribution of food supplies inside Bahrain were greatly improved during the year
and much was done to simplify rationing methods ; in all these matters the Manamah and
the Muharraq municipalities undertook much of the work, such as issuing monthly ration cards in
the two towns.
Rations were sold from Government owned shops, staffed with Government employees, usually
in villages and from approved shops in the towns. In May the number of approved shops was increased
and each shop was issued with the same quantities of rations. Each ration card bore the name of
the shopkeeper from whom the rations were to be purchased. The quantity of rations issued to each
shop corresponded to the number of persons allocated to that shop. Previously any person could
buy his rations from any approved shop. The new method proved successful in avoiding congestion
and overcrowding and provided opportunities to trade for smaller shopkeepers.
In Hedd, the third largest town in Bahrain, on Muharraq island, a new Government shop was
built in the compound of the Police Station and was opened in May. Before the shop was opened there
were general complaints against the local shopkeepers, mostly Persians, who were accused of hoarding,
profiteering and smuggling. After the opening of the Government shop all complaints ceased. To
cater adequately for the needs of the villagers, who form about half of the total population, six new
Government shops were opened at convenient points where they could supply the needs of surrounding
villages. Whenever possible the shops were placed close to police of natur posts so that they could
be effectively guarded and the people could be controlled. Places containing a Government shop,
a school and police post have developed into centres for the adjoining villages.
As the result of an arrangement which was made by the Bahrain Government with a Basrah
merchant at the end of the previous year the Bahrain Government bought about 2500 tons of dates
from Iraq most of which arrived in Bahrain during 1362. The dates were sold at controlled prices
in the Government shops and in authorized shops. The Government set aside sufficient dates to
supply the needs of the diving fleet for the 4^ months of the diving season. The dates were sold to the
nakhudas at controlled prices and to encourage the industry payment for the first lot was deferred till
the boats returned from their first trip to the banks at which time the nakhudas were more easily
able to pay for the dates. Crushed wheat was used as a substitute for rice in the diving boats. With
wheat and dates arranged for and supplied by the Government the Bahrain diving fleet was better