Reports and Correspondence Relating to Persia, Including Trade and Trade Routes in Persia [‎14r] (27/252)

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Principal articles of commerce.
2 3
Number in
Table of
Statistics.
40
27.28
W)
Lamb Skins.
There is a valuable trade in lamb skins to Russia, chiefly from
Shiraz. The valuable skins, those which will retain after cleaning
the natural close curl of the wool, are obtained only from the
Arab flocks. The Kashgais cannot rear the same stock. The
skins are collected by buying agents sent round the district, and
are packed in bales of about 130 pairs. Price depends greatly on
quality, it may average say krs. 20 per pair, but the finest skins
are double that price. The skins of unborn lambs are reputed of
finest quality, and this is said to give rise to maltreatment of
ewes. Expenses of collecting, cleaning, packing, &c., come to
about krs. 2 per skin, transport to Moscow and Russian Customs
to some krs. 3 per skin. Shiraz skins rank next to Bokhara skins
in the Moscow market. Export from Ears, 6,000 to 8,000 bales
per annum. Koweit also furnishes these skins, which are
forwarded to Russia vid Bagdad and Kermanshah. In 1902 the
price there was ^T8 per 100 skins. In the spring of 1903 it
was ;£Ti6. In Bagdad, 1902, it was ^Tio, and in the spring of
1903, j£T 16 per 100.
These skins all go to Astrakhan, where they are dressed. It
seems there is no market for them, undressed, in Great Britain.
There is a smaller trade of, perhaps, 20,000 skins from the
Hamadan district, at an average price of krs. 10 per skin.
They are also imported in some quantities from Afghanistan
to Meshed, and exported thence to Russia.
Leather.
An important export to Russia, consisting chiefly of sheep apd
goat skins tanned and dyed in Tabriz and Mamadan. Sorted in
sizes, five skins to a bundle. Sheep skins, krs. 15 ($$• 5 ^-) t 0
krs. 23 (8s. 4^.) per bundle. Goat skins, krs. 15 (5.?, 5^.) to
krs. 32 (1 u. 6^.) per bundle. Hamadan skins a little more than
these prices. Rough tanned skins for covering bales and cases,
krs, 8 to krs. 10 per bundle (about 3s. 3^.).
Sables, Fox Skins, &c.
There is a trade of some krs. 300,000 to 400,000 per annum in
fox and sable skins from the Shiraz district to Russia. Fox skins,
krs. 5! (2s.) to krs. 7 {2s. 6d.) each, according to quality. Fox
skins are also exported from Azerbaijan to Russia to the extent of
20,000 to 25,000 skins per annum ; they are worth krs. 10 (35. ^jd.)
to krs. 11 (45.) per pair, and sell in Russia at Rbls. 3 to Rbls. 4
per pair. From Tabriz about 5,000 or 6,000 sable skins are
exported annually to Russia; price, krs. 20 to krs. 30 per skin.
The weight is about 100 skins to the poud, and Russian duty on
import is Rbls. 75 per poud. Sables in Shiraz are quoted at
krs. 12 (45. 2d.) to krs 22 (8s.) per skin. The export through
Kazvin from Central Persia is estimated at 100,000 fox and 10,000
sables. Fox, krs. 8 per pair ; sables, krs. 22 per pair.
The sable here referred to is the Mustela Martis (dalak). See
Schindler’s “ Eastern Persian Irak, ” page 40.
There are a few other skins such as wolf skins, krs. 4 to
krs. 5, and hare skins, exported in small quantities.
Instruments, Musical and Scientific.
The demand is exceedingly limited, and there is no opening for
regular business.
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