Ext 329/43(2) ‘SHIPMENT OF DATES TO PERSIAN GULF STATES’ [‎81r] (161/226)

Sxmmary of Dates Scheme as applicable to the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Sheikhdoms
In March last it was decided that the Ministry of Pood
should put in force a scheme to purchase Iraqi dates with a
view to ensuring:-
(1) Proper allocation.
(2) jficoncmy of shipping and transport.
(3) Reasonable price.
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. was asked for his comments which he
gave in his telegram No*981 of 1st May. He emphasised that
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. States should be given first priority in
such a scheme, and he gave their requirements as Koweit
5,000 tons, Bahrein 8,000 tons and Truclal Coast 8,000 tons.
We learnt from the Ministry of Pooa cfeualls of the scheme in
July and in our telegram 16612 of ^th July we reported thist
to the Politcal Resident* He was told that though no
guarantee of full requirements could be given, importance of
dates to the Sheikhdoms nad been recognised and it was hoped
that their full requirements would be met. He was asked to
, arrange for the issue of import licences within the
allocation made by theJML.S.C^ In his telegram T/748 of 17th
f'~'Sugust he asked for details of the first allocation as the
/Y>/£££?*:)■/ ^' date season had begun. We told him in our telegram 19444 of
27th August to maintain close touch with Cairo and we also
gave him the approximate prices under the scheme. In their
^^Savingram No.2378 of 6th September the M.E.S.C. gave their
first allocations which included Koweit 2,250, Bahrein 4,500,
Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. 4,500. In his telegram T/1009 of 9th October
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. complained that the allocations were
too small. He quoted a telegram from Cairo telling him that
further allocations would be made later in the season if it
appeared that further supplies would be forthcoming, but that
for the present it should not be assumed that such would be
the case. In their telegram Esmid 993 of 20th October, M.W.T.
at our instigation reported this to Cairo and asked them to
discuss tne matter with 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. and agree all
allocation figures. On 28th October in their Savingram
167tiI3C. Cairo told him that the exportable surplus ha
proved/
jUA.