‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎35v] (69/949)

3 $
REPORT ON TRADE OF PERSIA.
Number in
Table of
Statistics.
59 > 60
If the Russian and Persian growers obtain the full benefit
of the protective import duty, then all the cotton employed in
Russian cotton factories is Rbls. 4'15 per poud dearer than it
would be were no import duty imposed.
Regarded from this point of view, since 100 lbs. of raw
cotton produce only about 91 lbs. of prints, the drawback is little
more than equivalent to the disability imposed in Russia on trade
abroad by the Customs duty of Rbls. 4*15 on imported raw
material. If, however, the quantities of raw cotton offered on
the Russian market from Russian and Persian sources (although,
as above noted, it is less than half the annual consumption of raw
cotton in Russia) be greater than the demands of that market
for the particular qualities produced by the Russian and Persian
growers, then these growers must compete with one another for
the supply of the requirements for Russian consumption, and so
permit the manufacturers to gain some advantage from the draw
back.
Dyeing materials also pay Customs duty in Russia, and the
greater drawback on classes B and C is said to be equivalent to
the tax on these materials. Evidence on this point is not available
in Persia.
59
Bleached and Unbleached Cotton Tissues—White and Grey
Shirtings, &c.
Total imports (excluding Karun) : ■
£
1901- 02 ... ... ... 745,75'>,
1902- 03 ... ... ... 533,086
The trade in these tissues is still held by Great Britain, the
imports from India being mostly Manchester goods. Russia is
now supplying both white and grey shirtings to Persia, and,
though her trade is still small, she appears to be devoting atten
tion to these goods. Her makes, so far, have not established a
footing beyond the northern provinces of Azerbaijan, Teheran,
and Khorassan, and even in these markets do not compete
seriously with British goods. At equal prices their qualities are
not good enough, and even in the Ardebil market are only taken
freely when Hamadan prices are high. In Meshed also an
importer stated that British whites at krs. 40 per piece were
preferred to the Russian at krs. 30. Reports from Baku would
seem to indicate that the Takief factory An East India Company trading post. there; of which a good
deal has been expected, is not able to produce these goods at
remunerative prices.
Holland has recently supplied, at prices to compete with
British goods, both whites and greys, which have been appre
ciated, and promise to secure for themselves a firm footing on the
market.
Persia also weaves plain tissues (“ karbaz ”) from home and
imported cotton twist, but the extensive markets formerly found
for these fabrics in such districts as Buru}ird, Kurdistan, and
Soujbulak have been largely captured by imported Mexicans, and
this formerly large trade is now of little account.
The real competition in these goods is between rival British
imports. Persian traders dealing mostly through Bombay supply
the markets of Kerman, Yezd, and Khorassan by the Bunder
Abbas route, although in Khorassan the trade in greys is reported
to be shrinking, as this material, indigo dyed locally, is being
displaced by cotton suitings and trouserings. The Jewish and
Persian traders of Kermanshah and Hamadan import goods on
indents payable in Bagdad, or bought there, which they dispose
of not only in their local markets, but to customers in Zanjan,
Ardebil, Kazvin, Teheran, and Azerbaijan, as far as Tabriz, at
times invading even Ispahan. At Tabriz the trade is in the