‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎32r] (62/949)

Principal articles of commerce.
29
Number in
Table of
Statistics
5 1
Yaltouchewsky sugar at Kief is quoted :—
Small loaves in cases, Rbls. 2*75 to Rbls. 3‘05 per poud. In
August 1903, Rbls. 2’S5 per poud.
Small loaves in bags, Rbls. 2*70 to Rbls. 3 per poud. In
August 1903, Rbls. 2*80 per poud.
Large loaves in bags, Rbls. 2*65 to Rbls. 2*95 per poud. In
August 1903, Rbls. 275 per poud.
Soft sugar in bags, Rbls. i^o to Rbls. 2*10.
Kisselowsky sugar at Kieff is quoted 10 copecks higher per
poud, but commands 1 to 2 shahis better price in Tabriz on
account of its harder quality.
The cost of transport from Kieff to Erivan is 45 to 50 copecks
per poud ; from Erivan to Julfa 20 to 50 copecks (in August 1903,
45 to 5 ° copecks) per poud ; and from Julfa to Tabriz 20 to 60
copecks (in August 1903, 35 to 40 copecks) per poud Porterage,
commissions—Erivan Julfa, and petties, say 10 copecks per poud.
Persian duty, 3 shahis per man, say 15 copecks per poud.
French sugar is imported in cases of 32 to 36 loaves at 32$.
to 365. per 100 kilos c.i.f. Gulf ports. Latterly it has been packed
in bags, which saves packing and weight, and in which it is found to
carry better. It holds the markets of the Gulf, Kerman, Shiraz
(pricekrs. 5 to krs. 5*25 per Shiraz man), Ispahan, and the
Kermanshah and Kurdistan districts, but has been almost driven
out of Hamadan by Russian sugar (French, krs. 5*10 per Tab. man
(315. 6d. per cwt.) ; Russian, krs. 4*75 per Tab. man (295. 6d. per
cwt.). It has been driven out of the Azerbaijan market, but when
transport from Trebizond to Persia rules very low, it is still
bought in that place (where important stocks are held) for the
Khoi and Urmiah market.
Some Belgian sugar has been taken in the Karun district.
Sugar is much retailed by the loaf, and the Belgian loaf of the same
weight as the French is a little more tapered in the cone, stands
higher, and thus looks bigger.
In the markets accustomed to French sugar, the hardness of
the Russian article is objected to, but in the north, where they
have become accustomed to this quality, they drink tea whilst
holding a morsel of sugar in the mouth, and on account of this
habit find a defect in more soluble sugar.
Soft Sugar.
Almost the whole of this trade to the Gulf is from Austria.
The sugar is imported in bags at 1 is. 6d. to 12s. per cwt. c. i. f.
Gulf ports for crystallized, which has displaced the slightly cheaper
granulated variety. The latter is said to be more liable to sweat
on the voyage. Austrian crystallized sugar holds the markets in
the Gulf and Karun regions and in Shiraz, where it sold in March
1903 at krs. 35o per Shiraz man (21^. 10^. per cwt.); also in
Kermanshah, which, however, takes only a small quantity. All the
northern provinces down to Hamadan, Ispahan, and Yezd take
Russian sugar. Prices in Hamadan, krs. 3’io to krs. 3*20 per
Tab. man (19s. 6d. per cwt.); Ispahan, krs. J'2^ to krs. 8'5o per
Shah man (245. 6d. per cwt.) ; Meshed, krs. 3 per Meshed man
(185. ^d. per cwt.).
Mauritius and Batavian sugars are too expensive for the
Persian market.
The average quantity landed at Bunder Abbas and Bushire
for the five years ending 1900 was 46,100 cwts. per annum, and
the average quantity for the two years, 1901*02, 40,800 cwts. per
annum, to which may be added for the Seistan route, not pre-