'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1903-1904' [‎89v] (66/112)

Cliap. IV.
42 BOMBA? ADMINISTRATION REPORT. [1903-1^
PRODUCTION
AND
DISTRIBUTION.
General.
Imports,
Exports*
Exports of Foreign
mercliandise.
Exports of Indian
merchandiser
N
Geographical
analysis of the
trade.
The private trade of the Presidency—Coasting and Foreign—was valued at 129 erores R
highest figure recorded, representing an increase of nearly 10 percent, on the figures of
previous year. The foreign trade valued at 101 crores expanded by ovei 12 per cent.^ whilett
coasting trade valued at 27 crores showed an advance of nearly 3 per cent. The foreign trad!
is practically wholly absorbed by the Chief Port—Bombay, while of the coasting trade BomtaJ
claimed nearly 79 per cent, and the subordinate ports 21 per cent. J
Chief Port—Bombay.
I .— foreign Trade.
The aggregate foreign trade of Bombay totalled 101 crores—an increase of nearly 11 erore ,
on last year—imports contributing 3 crores and exports nearly 8 crores to the increase. Import!
and exports of Government treasure amounted to 10-45 crores and 10*25 crores respectively and
are not included in the following figures.
Imports of merchandise rose in value to nearly 30 crores—an increase of crores. T| e
increase is fairly general, but the most important increases are under the heads of u Yarnaul
Textile Fabrics'* and “ Articles of food and drink/’ Under the former head, the total increase
is 1*40 crores. To this “ Twist and Yarn” contribute an advance of 3 l£khs, and cotton maui
faetures an advance of over one ei-ore, “Greys” and “ Shirtings” alone suffering decreases of
14 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and 32 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees respectively, apparently owing to local competition. The value of si
manufactures rose nearly 4 per cent, to 114 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , while woolen fabrics showed an increase
of 25 I4khs. All these increases are partly due to higher prices and partly represent ai
improvement in the volume of trade. Food-stuffs show an advance of 34 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 8 per cent
Grain imports shrank by 6 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees owing to less demand. Provisions rose by 17 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , the increase
being mainly under dates and other fruits. Tea was practically stationary. Sugar improved is
value by nearly 17 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , Mauritius alone supplying nearly 2 crores worth of cane sugar,
which successfully competed with beet sugar in spite of the abolition of the countervails
duties during the year. Imports of Java sugar (nearly 15 Mkhs) were more than imports of
Continental sugar. Under other heads the most noticeable features are increases under horses
(12 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ), hardware (10 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ), metals (28 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ), machinery and mill work (22 lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ]
dyeing and tanning materials (15 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ), wood, chiefly Siam and Burma teak (4^ lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ), ral
silk (5 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ), and gums and resins (4J lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ) ; while decreases appear under oils (16 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ],
coal (4 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ), raw cotton (11| Mkhs), pearls and precious stones (4^- lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ), raw hides (3 Mkksj]
and unclassed articles (15 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ).
Exports are divided into two heads: (1) Re-exportation of foreign merchandise; (2)
Exportation of Indian merchandise. Including treasure the total value rose from 46 crores
53 crores, while excluding treasure the value increased by nearly 10 crores.
There was a check in the decline in this branch of trade which, chiefly through increasesii
cotton manufactures, metals and kerosine oil, improved by 38 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 17 per cent. Of a total
trade of 265 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , Persia is the chief recipient with 62 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , but is still far behind its positioi
of ten years ago.
Exports of Indian merchandise improved by 10 crores. Raw cotton, twist ^
seeds, grain and pulse, and opium account for 90 per cent, of the total trade of 46 crores
with the exception of seeds, all contribute to the increase. Exports of grain and pulse moit
than doubled, though the figures are still behind those of 1898-99. They increased by l9l
Mkhs or 124 per cent., the most important advances being in j.owar and bajra (43 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ),at!
wheat (148 Mkhs).. The increase in wheat is mainly due to the demand from the United Kingdom
caused by the .deficiency in local crops and American supplies. Opium exports rose by 31 pef
cent, in quantity and 92 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in value to nearly 3-i-erores. Raw cotton rose by 7| croics
owing to the large outturn and the shortness in the American crop. The total export of raff
eotton amounting to 18 crores is the largest on record. Export of seeds showed a #
increase m quantity, but owing to the fall in prices a decrease of 61 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in value; Yarn aa!
textile fabrics, exports of which were valued at 1,061 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , show an improvement of 74 Kfe
to which yarn-contributed an increase of nearly 42 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , and cotton manufactures one of h
^ s* Hldes an d skins improved by over 6 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . The only other noticeable features are
oecreases m horns (4 Mkhs), and manures (131 Mkhs), both of which are due to a return to a
normal level after the inflation caused by recent famines.
S ^ asuie 011 private account resulted in an excess of imports over exports
over 1,^49 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . Net imports of gold were nearly doubled; 10J erores were imported ai 1
Sllgl1 ^ declined ' demalldft '
m . k r7 - wo P er <»“*• era tie is appropriated by Europe and 31 k per cent, bj
Unlt^ b Kb21, Ba - mbay a "r d . la fP rove<J b 7 S * * 8 i erores. Imports from and exports to
Umted lmpr ° V ? k y oi WMkhS and . 117 respectively. Of the total trade,
(7 ner mit? I! , m ? n,0 P®i It,ed per cent., while the other important competitors were
Hungry 41 pS/nO (6J P9r Italy (4| percent.), and ^
bv nearlv fitrores w-fi, r k ft rade i wi . th ^m’ope (exclusive of the United Kingdom) imp™’
Manrithf- o>\ In ”V 1 1 ^ riCa ^ rade expanded by over one erore, the sugar industry
Mauritius gmng rt a percentage of 2f of the total foreign trade. Trade with America declii
to