‘Diplomatic and Consular Reports. Persia. Report for the Year 1908-09 on the Trade of the Provinces of Seistan and Kain.’ [‎6v] (12/50)

10
SEISTAN AND KAIN.
themselves of the concessions offered by certain Indian railways for
free journeys to Indian trade centres.
Increased advantage has also been taken of the Indian customs
rebate concession. The arrangement recently introduced by which the
rebate is paid to importers by His Majesty’s Consul instead of to the
-exporters at the seaports is much appreciated.
So far as can be judged at present, the current year will show some
increase in our trade with Seistan and Kain, especially in that by the
Nushki route.
III. Movement of trade in which British and Indian industries are
principally interested.—The trade of the United Kingdom and India
with these provinces is chiefly in the following commodities :—
Indigo. —Concurrently with the increase in carpet manufacture,
imports of indigo continue to increase. The figures for the past three
years arenpil ,
£
1906- 07
1907- 08
1908- 09
Skins, dressed.—Mostly fox and jackal-skins from India. The
trade has decreased.
Metals.—Imports have increased, chiefly due to sheet copper having
been brought up for the first time.
Tea.—Imports show slight increase.
Imports of tea from Russia were nil. The so-called Russian tea
formerly imported in fancy boxes is not now to be found in the bazars.
These boxes contained a considerable proportion of Indian tea.
Cotton yams.—Used in carpet manufacture both British and Indian.
Imports have increased owing to increase of carpet making.
Cotton piece-goods.—Severe Russian competition exists. Imports
of British manufacture have fallen off considerably. This can only
partly be ascribed to trade via the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. having been checked
by the insecurity of the roads.
IV. Openings for British trade. —Goods for Persian consumption,
from whatever source arriving, leave all mechanical means of transport
before they enter the Shah’s dominions. Prehistoric modes of convey
ance carry them to marts in the interior, and of all the marts in the
country none are more distant from either railhead or port than those
of the provinces with which this report deals. Add to this the fact that
Seistan and Kain are very sparsely inhabited—each village might be
described as an oasis in the middle of a desert—-and it will be evident
that there are here no markets worth the attention of the British
manufacturer.
The fact is that though British and Indian goods always command
prices that afford good profits, there is not sufficient demand for any
one class of goods to make it worth a firm’s while to undertake
any expense or trouble in pushing their goods here. Similarly with
local manufactures and products. Carpets are made to the value of
some 20,000Z. annually, many of them of superb quality; silk and
woollen fabrics are also produced; there is a fairly long list of raw