Reports and Correspondence Relating to Persia, Including Trade and Trade Routes in Persia [‎17v] (34/252)

Report on trade of Persia.
j^aaisr^BatrBu 1 !:
average number of cases for < nnn um and the average
the five years ending .900 was 8 ’ 7 °° P e ”“se of 700 casfs.
for 1Q01-02, 0,400 per annum, showing an increase u y
trade with Persia is distinctly growing. rrvn
The Customs Statistics for the last three years tend to con-
firm this:— Krs.
12,300,000
13,000,000
i 4 , 3 oo , o0 °
Total imports, year March 1900-01
1901- 02
1902- 03
(Exclusive of Muhammerah.)
A part of the tea formerly landed at Bunder Abbas was
destined for Transcaspia, a market no longer supplied by Pers a
r ° Ute The traders in Persia interested in this line do not appear to
ontirioate any great reduction in the consumption of tea on
account of the heavy duties imposed under the Tariff o 1903.
Also although Indian tea is more heavily taxed m proportion to
vaS than white-tipped China and java teas the relative prices
to the consumer will hot be so much changed as to bring these
fatter into competition with the cheap Indian tea. The duty under
the Tariff of 1903, equivalent to quite 75 per cent, ad valorem on
low class Indian tea, will hamper the operations of traders with
small capitals, who must now invest almost double the amount ot
capital to carry on the same business as formerly.
The Customs Statistics for 1902-03 show an export of over
0000 cases to Russia from Azerbaijan and Khorassan—unexpect-
ed routes for a transit trade to follow ; yet the actual export is
locally estimated at nearly double these figures. The reason, of
course is that tea which in Tabriz or Meshed costs 6 S copecks per
lb. is worth Rbls. 1 '40 over the Russian border if it can be got
It was simpler to pay the olds per cent, export duty m
Persia than to run the risk of capture on that side of the frontier.
The Customs’ cordons on the Russian frontier have been more
effective of late in stopping this contraband trade.
Russia has recently opened the Batoum-Julfa and Batoum-
Ashkabad routes to tea in transit for Persia. Any agent can be
employed. Tea for Azerbaijan and Khorassan ought to arrive
much cheaper by these routes than by the Gulf.
The Russo-China Bank offered the following conditions
To effect purchases in China or India on indent, charging
6 per cent, interest on invoice cost and charges to date
of arrival in Batoum—to advance the deposit on account
of duty (Rbls 31*50 per poud) during transit, at a com
mission of 1 per cent.—to effect transport from Batoum
to Tabriz at about Rbls. i *45 P er P oud ( this rate subject
to variation of 10 to 15 copecks per poud according to
rates of wagon hire Erivan-Tabriz), and insurance at
Rbls. 4*50 per Rbls. 1,000 ; interest on advances at 8
per cent, from arrival at Batoum to date of payment in
'p a b r i z _ c ommission 1 per cent, on cost and charges to
Batoum.
The Banque d’Escompte de Perse are reported to have offered
to effect purchases on indent for Meshed, advancing cost, charges,
and deposit of duty, at the rate of 6 per cent, interest till payment
in Meshed, the tea to be taken up within three months of arrival ;
their commission to be 1 per cent.
Prices in Persia have, perhaps, not yet quite responded'to the
duty under the new tariff. It is generally believed that large
locks were held in the country at the time the tariff came into