Coll 20/6 'Muscat: Trade: Annual Reports 1924-' [‎195v] (390/588)

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Banking.
There are no banks in Mascat. The system among
the merchants of issuing Hundis (drafts) is in practice
and as trade methods are primitive there are no
sufficient inducements for a bank to be established.
Trade.
The total volume of trade for the year 1929-30
amounted to £459,446 as against £510,120 of the
previous year showing a decrease of £50,674.
Imports by steamers as well as by sailing vessels
show a decrease of £26,622 as compared with the
previous year.
Exports by steamers as well as by sailing vessels
show a decrease of £24,052 as compared with the
previous year.
Of the total trade for the year the share of the sail
ing vessels is £110,284 and that of the steamships
£349,162.
Share of Trade.
Name of Country.
Import.
Export.
Total.
Percentage.
£
£
£
India
214,998
100,089
315,087
68-57
Persia
21,875
5,988
27,863
606
Africa
12,850
5,041
17,891
3-89
Ceylon
14,783
14,783
3-22
United Kingdom
19,374
2,300
21,674
4-72
United States of
262
9,790
10,052
2-18
America.
China
2,665
2,665
0-59
Aden
1,892
1,892
0-42
Singapore
440
440
0-10
Other Countries
46,044,
1,055
47,099
10-25
Total .
317,295
142,157
459,446
100-00
As will be observed from the above figures India
has played a prominent part in the year’s trade.
Imports.
Total imports for the year amounted to £317,295
as against £343,917 of the previous year showing a
decrease of £26,622. Of the total imports goods
worth £220,306 were carried *by steamships and
£96,989 by sailing vessels.
The import of rice by steamers as well as by sail
ing vessels show a decrease. The bulk of the rice
imported and appearing in these return came from
Karachi. It is cheaper than Calcutta rice and is
consumed by the poorer classes both in Muscat and
in the interior.
Exports. . x
Total exports for the year under review amounted
to £142,151 of which uoous w«ith £13,295 were
carried by sailing vessels and the balance by steam*
ships. They show a decrease of £24,052 from the
previous year’s figures.
Cotton goods locally manufactured were exported
to Aden, Africa and Zanzibar : dry fish to Ceyloh
and Waras (ochre) to Aden. This last item is used
for dyeing clothes by the Arabs.
Muscat manufactures turbans and lungis.^ihese
are exported to Zanzibar, Africa and Aden.,
considerable export of these articles passes through
the post office and does not appear in these returns.
The post office returns for the year under report show
that goods worth £8,375 were thus exported.
The export of dates, which is the most important
items of Muscat export, fell from £110,347 to £90,801,
or about 17 *70 per cent. The decrease is attributed
chiefly to scanty rainfall and partly to the invasion
of locusts. As will be seen from the statistics no
‘ Fard ’ dates were exported to United States of
America during the year under report.
Legislation.
The Government is of the Oriental type tempered
by treaty for the benefit of British subjects over
w T hom the local authorities have no jurisdiction.
The Government is carried on by a Council of four
Ministers (President, Minister of Justice, Minister
of Finance and Minister of Religious Affairs). Cases
against British subjects are tried by the Political
Agent and His Britannic Majesty’s Consul, Muscat,
on principles of Uaw adopted from British India.
Cases against Muscat subjects are decided by the
Council of Ministers, but the right of Consular re
presentation exists and is exercised.
Customs.
Reciprocal commercial treaties have been execut
ed by the Ruler of Oman with Great Britain and
France. In accordance with the terms of those all
goods imported into Oman are subject to an import
duty of 5 per cent ad valorem determined by the price
current in the local market. No export duty is
levied, but a charge of 5 per cent is imposed in
Muscat and at the Coast ports on all dates and other
fruits from the interior.
The Customs revenue is the main source of the
Government’s income.
Transport.
Transport along the coast is by sailing vessels and
is cheap. Transport inland is carried out by pack
animals, and is difficult, dangerous and expensive.
The rates depend upon the distance the goods have
to be conveyed and the difficulty of the journey.
A road to link up Matrah with the Batinah Coast
ports is still under constructions, but the road
from Muscat to Matrah was completed in October
1929. The hire of a car is Rs. 2 per trip and annaa
4 per head.