Coll 28/61 ‘Persia. Trade Reports. Bundar Abbas & Lingah, 1925/6–’ [‎13r] (25/245)

Abbas has been given to a Company formed of local
merchants who have been dealing in these commo
dities before the year 1930. The retail dealers in
the bazaar are supplied with the stock by this Com-
^_pany to be retailed at the rates fixed by Government.
Export .—year under report is the worst on
records. The total exports for the year amounted
to Rials 5,•139,155 as against Rials 7,422,508 of the
previous year, showing a decrease of Rials 1,983,353.
The following table gives comparative figures
relating to principal articles of export:—
1932-33. 1933-34. 1934-35.
(1) Carpets (aniline Rials. Rials. Rials.
and non-aniline)
to —
United Kingdom
India ,
Germany
U. S. A. .
Oman
Other countries .
778.000
683,298
620.000
470,000
91,380
67,200
151,650
212,380
5,836
121,238
126,864
43,219
9,345
298,859
Total
2,609,878
490,504
478,187
(2) Cotton (raw) to—
India • ,
1,666,300
1,258,677
1,411,115
Oman
13,270
65,080
21,132
Kuwait
, .
39,621
Germany .
*•
5,921
••
Total
1,679,570
1,369,299
1,432,247
(3) Almonds to—
India
395,836
160,733
110,633
United Kingdom
93,000
. .
. .
Germany
. .
..
34,170
Other countries .
475
3,257
184
Tqtal
489,311
163,990
144,987
(4) Pistachio nuts to —
India . . 358,300
183,744
676.487
U. S. A. .
75,400
157,082
833,680
Iraq . , ,
10,600
. *
. .
France
23,976
. %
Japan
. .
. .
23,108
Other countries .
••
• %
20,767
Total ,
444,300
364,802
1,554,042
(5) Raisins and other
dried fruits to —
India
456,490
312,230
520,648
Oman
25,100
33,742
25,195
Bahrain
2,400
. .
United Kingdom
. .
48,464
. .
Other countries .
4 a
4,165
546,854
Total
483,990
398,591
1,092,697
(6) Dates to—
Oman
149,070
8,264
95,232
India
103,300
61,264
13,840
Toial
252,370
70,102
109,072
Following articles were also exported :—
Asafoetida.
Gum
Tragacanth.
Rials.
Rials.
India
178,546
17,002
Germany .
41,406
21,886
United Kingdom
13,872
3,417
Iraq . , . ,
11,381
,.
U. S.A. .
» • •
9,050
Other countries .
.
2,907
Total
245,203
54,262
Exporters this year on the w r hole did not do much*
Many of them have lost heavily in dry fruits and other
such articles.
Owing to the recent rise in the silver prices, the
exporters had to face a very difficult problem which
arose through the appreciation of the currency of
Iran, but thanks to the immediate intervention of
the Minister of Finance, the chaos was avoided.
Government immediately raised the value of export
certificates from 9 per cent to 25 per cent. Up to
recently, according to the last year’s new regulations,
the exporters had to sell their export certificates only
to Government at 9 per cent and the importers had
to buy from Government at 131 per cent, but at the
end of the year under review tne rate has gone up,
t,e., selling 25 per cent and buying 30 per cent.
It is reported that to increase her sales abroad of
the raw materials and foodstuffs, Government
encouraged agriculture and marketing. But it
depends upon the extent to which other countries are
willing and able to accept Iran’s products.
(6) New Items of Trade.^Chea.p Japanese goods
such as cement, bicycles, electric bulbs, gramo
phones, chinaware and porcelainware, viz., bowls,
cups, saucers, plates, jugs, dishes, teapots and such
articles suited for table use, remained very promi
nent.
(c) New Trade Channels. —Nil.
(d) Growth of foreign competition and danger to
British interests resulting therefrom .—By the entry of
Japan into the Iranian market, the Russians, who
were a menance to the British interests, have been
completely ousted, chiefly in cotton piecegoods and
yarn.
(e) The Russians—their trading methods — popul
arity, success or failure .—No Russian articles were
imported during the year, except matches.
(/) Credits offered by foreign firms as opposed to
those granted by British Firms .—Owing to the control
of foreign exchange and frequent introduction of new
rules and regulations by the Iranian Government
no credits are being oSered by foreign firms..
(g) Popularity of foreign goods due to quality, price
and terms of payment, «<e.—Owing to the poverty of
the country, Japanese piecegoods and porcelainware,
being of very cheap and of attractive designs, are
appreciated in this part.