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‘File 29/21 - III FOOD SUPPLY RICE’ [185r] (369/720)
The record is made up of 1 file (358 folios). It was created in 30 May 1948-26 Sep 1949. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
PfcASIAN WL.K RESIDtNCX,
BAHRAIN,
8 th D*c«mber, 19^ •
Will you please refer to «y telegram No.2^3 of
November 16th.
2. There h*e been considerable confusion over the cuestIon
of the supply of rice for the Gulf States due to misunderstandings
both here and In the United Kingdom, and 1 am writing this letter
to endeavour to clarify the situation.
3 . Bice grows nowhere in the Gulf States, but for meny
generations has been a staple food for a very large part of the
population. Though people can live without it, it must be
regarded almost as an *ef j sentlal*. It may perhepe be compared,
to tea which was unknown in the United Kingdom a few centuries
ago, but has now become to all intents and purro^es an essential
article of consumption. Before the war, rice was available
in large quantities and at cheap rates and practically all
classes of the settled population consumed it. During the war,
imports of rice dwindled and it became much more expensive.
Imports from Burma and India eventually ceased altogether, end
the Gulf States became dependent on limited supplies from Persia.
This rice wee illicitly exported from Persia and was often ns id.
for in kind, e.g. it wee exchanged for tea and sugar. In
Bahrain its price was controlled and when supplies were sufficient,
I think I am right in saying that it was rationed, but elsewnere
there was no price control or rationing and its consumption
was limited to the better classes. The Persian Government having
recovered some of their Naval craft are now able to take more
effective action to prevent the Illegal export of rice from
their side of the Gulf and supplies from that source have almort
entirely ceased. This has led to a demand from all theGulf
Statea for the allocation of a rice quota from some other source.
k. I would again point out that rice cannot be
entirely as a luxury. Practically all would consume it *
were plentiful and they could afford it, and the ruling families
and people of the better clasa who, by the rules
have to entertain largely, and do entertain both rich and poor
alike, would be looked down uron if they could not provide their
guests with rice.
5 . In the olrcumstsncen of the e* 8 «, it hpsb-onvery difficult
to complete the cueetlonneire received through the hiddle
Secretariat from the Internetionel Emergency Food Committee, and
I am afraid none of tham have not been very adepuetely answered.
I hare been avay on tour a great deal and have keen able to
check them personally. None of the ponuleaon of the Oulf can
be described as "basically rice eating* and owing to shorts e oj
supplies
Miss C. *f» ter low,
Middle Bast Secretariat,
Foreign Office,
London.
mjam
About this item
- Content
The file contains correspondence about arrangements for the purchase and shipping of rice imports mainly from African and South American countries, for consumption in Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai, Sharjah and other Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. shaikhdoms, where rice and other cereals continued to be in scarce supply after the Second World War (1939-1945). The file consists mainly of letters from Bahrain and Dubai merchants, or from the Imperial Bank of Iran and the Eastern Bank Limited on their behalf, also from the local manager of the Petroleum Development (Qatar) Limited on behalf of oil company personnel, asking the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain to permit them foreign currency exchange facilities for the purchase of rice from Brazil and other non-Sterling countries. Also included in the file are the Political Agent’s responses, including importation recommendation certificates and letters to their banks, approving the release of sterling for the opening of letters of credit and hard currency payments to exporters.
The file also contains the successful bids made to the International Emergency Food Committee (IEFC), Washington by the British Government on behalf of Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai and the other Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. shaikhdoms, for a share in the 1949 Middle East rice allocations. In relation to this matter there is the correspondence of the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain with the Rulers of Bahrain, Qatar and Dubai and also with British officials at the Ministry of Food and the Foreign Office in London. In this correspondence, they discuss reducing existing wheat quota imports for Bahrain, Qatar and the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. shaikhdoms in favour of increased rice quota imports, the arrangements for the local storage and stock management of the IEFC allocated Egyptian rice by British Ministry of Food officials in Cairo, the appointment of approved purchasing and shipping agents by the Bahrain and Dubai authorities to act for them and for their merchants with regard to orders, payments and deliveries of the IEFC allocated Egyptian quota rice by sea to Bahrain, Qatar and Dubai.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (358 folios)
- Arrangement
Files papers are arranged more or less chronologically.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 360; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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‘File 29/21 - III FOOD SUPPLY RICE’ [185r] (369/720), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/779, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100026189802.0x0000aa> [accessed 18 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/779
- Title
- ‘File 29/21 - III FOOD SUPPLY RICE’
- Pages
- front, front-i, 3r:4v, 9r:9v, 12r:15v, 17r:17v, 22r:24v, 29r:33v, 35r:35v, 41r:41v, 43r:43v, 45r:47v, 52r:52v, 54r:58v, 61r:61v, 63r:64v, 66r:68v, 70r:70v, 74r:76v, 79r:95v, 97r:98v, 103r:103v, 106r:108v, 110r:114v, 117r:121v, 126r:128v, 130r:131v, 133r:140v, 142r:144v, 146r:146v, 148r:153v, 157r:157v, 165r:171v, 173r:175v, 178r:181v, 183r:189v, 191r:194v, 197r:197v, 199r:199v, 205r:208v, 211r:215v, 219r:222v, 224r:227v, 231r:231v, 233r:233v, 236r:236v, 238r:239v, 242r:242v, 244r:250v, 253r:261v, 264r:267v, 269r:269v, 275r:278v, 283r:288v, 290r:291v, 293r:299v, 301r:301v, 303r:310v, 312r:319v, 321r:359v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence