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Coll 28/41 ‘Persia. Trade Reports. Kerman 1924–’ [‎56r] (111/313)

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The record is made up of 1 file (154 folios). It was created in 14 Dec 1925-20 Apr 1943. It was written in English. 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. .

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ST.
Trade Report of the Kerman
ending 21st
1. Trade.
(a) General condition of trade during the year —
Trade during the early part of the year was mode
rately active, but diminished gradually during the
second half. Trade conditions in this part of the
country have never been so bad in recent years,
and the immediate outlook is far from bright. The
carpet industry was greatly affected by the small
demand and low prices in America, and towards the
close of the year practically no fresh orders were
arriving from New York.
Until conditions in the carpet business in America
improve, there does not appear to be any likelihood
of any amelioration in trade conditions, as the
Kerman market depends almost entirely on the
carpet industry.
It was noticed that orders placed by the New
York firms with the manufacturers here were subse
quently cancelled owing to prevailing conditions in
America. Another factor which governs the carpet
export trade from Kerman is the rate of exchange,
which during the year fluctuated widely. As
mentioned before Kerman depends solely on the
carpet and rug trade, but this is now almost com
pletely stagnant and has brought about a demora
lising effect on the manufacturers and weavers alike.
Trade conditions might improve should the rate of
exchange remain around Kials 80-00 per pound
sterling, but owing to a feeling of uncertainty there
is still little doing and people are adopting the policy
of “waiting and seeing” hoping for better times
ahead*
Up to recently the rate of exchange was to a
certain extent governed by the price of silver (now
about 3\d. per oz. say about Rials 55-00 per £),
but at the present moment, this is not the case,'
the rate now being governed by supply and
demand.
Owing to present stagnation of trade, the demand
for credit has fallen off.
The general falling off in trade hi Kerman carpets
and rugs can be summed up under two headings
(a) Exchange insecurity and
(b) lack of demand abroad (especially America).
The future outlook is uncertain and none too
bright.
(6) Exports and imports. —The figures for imports
into the province, vide Appendix I, show a decrease
Consular District for the year
March 1935.
of just over Rials 800,000 (£10,000) as compared -
with those of the preceding year. Appendices II
aind III show the imports from Russia and Japan
which have decreased by Rials 355,500 (£4,444)
and Rials 354,000 (£4,425) respectively. It will
be noticed that out of the total decrease ih the
imports of Rials 800,000 (£10,000) a sum of Rials
709,500 (£8,869) is due to the decrease in imports
from the above twb countries which practically have
ousted other countries from the Iranian markets.
This can mainly be attributed to the comparatively
low purchasing power of the cbuntry itself during
the year and also that most of the requiremehts
of the people are now being met with locally.
The total value of exports, on the other hand,
vide Appendix V, has increased by Rials 1,650,000
(£20,625), a sum of Rials 1,160,000 (£14,500) being
due to the increase ih the export of Kerman carpets
and tribal rugs only, as compared with the figures
of the preceding year. This increase may be roughly
attributed to the cause referred to in “ 7-(o) ” below.
(c) New items of trade. —Nil.
(d) N<*w trade channels.—Fox the first time the
Kermanshah Beyroute route has been used for the
export of carpets to New York. It is said that
carpets sent vid Bandar Abbas take from 75 to 90
days to reach New York, whilst the Beyroute route
takes about 55 to 60 days. Kerman firms send
their carpets to Sultanabad and from there they
are despatched with others to New York. No
doubt the Beyroute route is much more expensive
than the Bandar Abbas and Duzdab ones. It
costs about £21 to £23 per ton vid Beyroute, while
it costs £13 only vid Bandar Abbas. Firms anxious
to send their goods quicker use the Kermanshah—
Beyroute route.
(e) Growth of foreign competition and danger to
British interests resulting ther efrorh.— Appendix II
as compared with the figures of last two years, shows
a tremendous drop ih the Russian imports of about
Rials 355,000 (£4,437), the item of sugar having
totally disappeared. Appendix III as compared
with the preceding year shows an equal drop of Rials
354,000 (£4,425) in the Japanese goods, but still
they, due to their cheapness, find a better market.
It will be remembered that last year a Japanese
Commercial Agent had visited Kerman and the
goods now imported are only those for which he had
previously thoroughly studied the market. In
spite of all these activities it is an irrefutable fact
that as far as the durability is concerned. Japanese
goods fall far behind the products of other countries. ‘

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Content

Printed trade reports for the Kerman Consular District in Persia [Iran], submitted by a succession of British Consuls for Kerman (Henry Duncan Graves Law; John Hunter Davies; Edward William Charles Noel; Cecil Henning Lincoln; George Arthur Falconer).

The contents of the reports vary from one year to another, but usually feature summaries of: the district’s financial situation; foreign trade; taxation; military affairs (commandeering of equipment, conscription); agriculture; industry (including textiles and carpet manufacture); communications and transport; state undertakings and control of trade; public utilities; social conditions (standard of living, unemployment, public health); information for travellers. Most reports include appendices with statistical data on trade, including: imports and exports at the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. port of Bandar Abbas [Bandar-e ʻAbbās]; imports and exports of key commodities into and out of Kerman; prices of foodstuffs; imports of Russian and Japanese goods.

Each report is preceded by 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. minute papers containing handwritten comments on the enclosed report. Many of the reports have pencil annotations.

The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 file (154 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 156; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-156; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English in Latin script
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Coll 28/41 ‘Persia. Trade Reports. Kerman 1924–’ [‎56r] (111/313), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3444, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100055834077.0x000072> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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