‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎49r] (96/949)

NOTES ON COMMERCIAL CENTRES, &C. 63
The rice trade is largely in the hands of Armenian traders, and exports
are all to Russia. The Banque d’Escompte de Perse is reported to have
entered into this business, making advances to proprietors against con
signments to be sold on commission.
A number of European firms are interested in the silk business, chiefly
French, Italian, and Greek traders, The conditions on which business has
been run hitherto appear to have been very lax and indefinite. Advances are
made to the cultivators four or six months (and recently, in some cases, more
than a year) before date of delivery of cocoons, and often. to nearly the full
value of the quantities contracted for. No condition is imposed as to the
quality of the cocoons to be delivered and the price is not fixed till late in the
season when a great part of the quantities delivered have already reached
Marseilles.
The Banque d’Escompte de Perse is reported to be offering to make
advances to cultivators against consignments of cocoons to be sold on commis
sion. The cultivators are becoming better informed as to prices abroad, and
several Persian firms are exporting on their own account. The exporters have
in consequence had some difficulty in fixing a price this year, and have now
formed a syndicate with a view to establishing more satisfactory conditions of
business.
Trade Routes.
The Resht-Kazvin road is noticed under Teheran.
The route from Meshedi-sar to Teheran is for caravan traffic only, but
merchandise is conveyed more quickly and at less cost than by the Resht route.
Teheran and Demavend produce is usually exported via Meshedi-sar.
The Bunder Gez route carries Russian commerce with Astrabad, Shahrud,
and Yezd.
Khorassan.
The Customs Returns for 1901-02 and 1902-03 give the following
figures as values of imports and exports:—
1901-02. 1902-03.
Imports . . • • • 439> io 8 408,216
Exports ..... 329,864 416,706
Customs examiation of merchandise 7?za Ashkabad, Dushak, and. Kariz
may be made at Meshed ; goods not passing through Meshed are examined at
Kuchan or frontier Customs stations.
Merchandise by the Seistan route is examined at Nasratabad.
Trade Usages, Credits, &c.
Meshed is the central market for wool and cotton, but agents are
frequently employed to buy cotton in Kuchan, Sabzwar, and Nishapur, and
wool in Turbat.
In the wool trade the big buyers all make advances at 12 percent,
interest to the wholesale Persian sellers some two or three months before the
dip is ready These advances secure a sort of option over a given quantity
of wool (proportionate to the advance) at the ruling price to be fixed by
arbitration when the clip is ready for delivery, the advance to be refunded,
dIus interest at 12 per cent., if either party declines to accept that , price.
The price is discussed between buyers and sellers at informal meetings of
the trade till arbiters see their way to propose a price acceptable to a
sufficient majority. This somewhat loose form of contract, which depends
greatly upon trade usage for its efficacy, appears to work fairly well in
practice.
The middleman probably buys his wool by the fleece from peasant owners
to whom he has in turn made advances,. and delivers it to the exporter who
sorts and pays for it according to recognised proportions of each grade.