Coll 28/38 ‘Persia. Trade. Trade Tables 1929/30 to’ [‎199v] (398/483)

2
Imports increased by 184,157,795 rials as compared with the preceding year,
but of this excess 143,480,553 rials consisted of gold bullion, so that the net
increase was 40,677,242 rials. Imports en franchise, on account of the Anglo-
Persian Oil Company and other concessionnaires, as well as the Diplomatic
Corps, amounted in 1933-34 to 92,761,298 rials as compared with 45,913,465 rials
in 1932-33. Deducting these amounts, as well as the gold bullion imported, from
total imports, the net or ‘‘commercial” imports were 605,494,499 rials in
1933-34 and 611,665,090 rials in 1932-33. The adverse balances, according to
this method of calculation, were respectively 139,369,252 rials (£1,732,370) and
89,624,074 rials (£912,020) in 1933-34 and 1932-33. This method of calculation,
which is the usual one adopted by Iran, omits the most important of all exports,
viz., mineral oils, and if this item were included, a favourable balance of trade
for the year amounting to 1,197,571,748 rials (£14,885,910) was achieved.
Exports.
(A) Mineral Oil Exports.
Exports of mineral oils were valued at 1,336,941,000 rials, an increase over
the previous year of 193,941,000 rials. The principal countries of destination
were the I nited Kingdom, 546 million rials; Egypt, 221 million rials; and
France, 110 million rials.
(B) Other Exports.
Exports to the Soviet Union again declined from 126-5 million rials in
1932-33, or 24 -2 per cent, of total exports, to 90 -2 million rials, or 19-3 per cent,
of total exports. In 1931-32 exports to the Soviet Union amounted to no less
than 267 million rials, 37 per cent, of the total. The United States figure was
fairly well maintained at 77-3 million rials (16-6 per cent.) against 83-5 million
rials (16 per cent.) last year, carpets accounting for 59-5 million rials. Exports
to the ETiited Kingdom fell from 71 million rials (13-6 per cent.) to 56-5 million
rials (12-1 per cent.), and those to British India were about the same-
fib-6 million rials (12-1 per cent.) against 55-7 million rials (10-7 per cent.) last
year. Germany was a better customer than last year, accounting for 66 • 3 million
rials (14-2 per cent.) against 43 million rials.
Excluding mineral oils, carpets were again the main export item, but their
value declined from 181 million rials to 140-7 million rials, the principal
customers again being the United States (59-5 million rials), United Kingdom
(26-5 million rials) and Turkey (19-8 million rials). There was an increase, from
44-8 to 80-5 million rials, in exports of raw cotton, which went mainly to
Germany, 33-4 million rials; Soviet Union, 28 million rials; and Japan,
12 million rials. Exports of dried fruits, for the stimulation of which heroic
efforts continue to be made by the Iranian Government, further declined from
57-9 million rials to 44-1 million rials, of which 33-4 million went to British
India. In any trade discussions between British India and Persia, this item
would be a useful one to remember. Exports of hides, skins and furs improved,
but those of live animals decreased. Rice exports were also lower, while opium
exports declined from 33 million rials to 9-17 million.
Imports.
Imports from the Soviet Union showed a further decline, notwithstanding
the trade agreements effected with that country, from 207 million rials (31-5 per
cent, of the total) to 147 million rials (21 per cent.). As all trade agreements
between Iran and the Soviet Union in the last few years have been based on a
more or less exact balancing of imports against exports, it is interesting to note
that in the year under review the adverse balance to Iran was approximately
55 million rials, and last year 85 million rials. Total imports from the United
Kingdom amounted to the surprising figure of 280-7 million rials, but this
presumably includes most, if not all, of the gold bullion imports valued at
143-48 million rials. British imports should, therefore, be shown at approximately
136 million rials (19-48 per cent.), of which 63 million rials represent “com
mercial ” imports and 73 million rials duty free imports, mainly for the Anglo-
Persian Oil Company. British India’s share of the import trade*further declined
from 74 million rials to 64-4 million rials, which includes 3-1 million rials from