Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎305r] (614/1028)

8. If the old menace of internal insecurity has been largely overcome and if
Some conditions of life in the towns have been improved, the province is now in the
throes of a severe struggle in its economic situation.
The province of Fars has for many years much depended on the opium trade,
from which all classes derived profit. Owing to legislation, rather than to other
conditions, such as world markets, the price of this drug has fallen greatly and a
very large part of the year’s crop remained unsold, even at its cheap price, in the
government monopoly stores ; it is likely to stay there for a long while.
The rain fall during the winter of 1930-31 was small but this shortage will,
according to local opinion, affect the crops of 1932 more than those of the period
under review, which actually were up to average.
There was very little outside demand for grain so bread remained cheap. Very
extreme poverty was however widespread and the tribes people and villagers no
longer came to Shiraz with the good money to spend on which the town must largely
exist. Tea and sugar became so expensive that many had to do without their
favourite drink and there was not enough money to buy the dearer materials to
replace pitiful rags.
Merchants struggled to find a way to work in with the complicated regulations
which had done much to paralyse local trade before the severity of the world crisis
was felt.
Of the money circulating in the form of paper at a month or two’s date much
had very little real money behind it.
For the redress of wrongs the townspeople and villagers could not rely on the
Courts, of which the reputation was not good, and depression and pessimism were
general.
They have nevertheless extreme patience and surprising vitality and have had
to carry on before under circumstances quite as bad.
MC392FD
H