'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908' [‎62r] (122/137)

CUSTO MS—OPIUM—SALT.
1907
.1908.]
83 Chap. V.
increase is to lar f im P° rt h°i i e ? r a ] T 11 ™ 068 f " r th » Works in M™-e also
„f coeoanuts, betelnuts, and salted fish, and _ large exports of rice to Goa owin . to a bad cron
?Lre. Receipts on the Katbawar frontier increased by Rs. 4,000 to Rs. SROOO. There 7s
a steady expansion Of the petroleum (bulk-oil) trade Marmngao and Castle Rook, sappli^s
the Southern Mahratta Country being m^e more cheaply by this route than vid BombaT
The quantity imported at Castle Rock was 18,22,713 gallons against 6,33,337 last year. ^
PIN AN Cl AL
BE ViEW.
8. Opium.
For details see the Annual Report on Opium for 1907-1908 and Tables under On?,,™
printed in Part IV (5) of theStatistics of British India. P ’
1. This summary is confined to the consideration of opium as an item of Imperial Gene-al
Revenue. Information regarding opium as an item of excise will be found under that head;
2 ‘ ™ y : pald Bombay for exportation and home consumption amounted Export from soaks
(0 18,349 chests compared with 15,367 chests in 1906-1907. to Bombay.
3. There was an increase of 3,533 chests in the exports to China, due chiefly to cheaper Exports to China,
prices. With a view to restrict the importation of Indian opium into China, the Grovern/nent of
India have directed that the quantity of Mdlwa opium exported during the calendar year 1908
shall not exceed 15,100 chests.
4, The average prices were Rs. 1,271 per chest for one-year old and Rs. 1,357 for two- Prices,
year old opium against Rs. 1,362 and Rs. 1,473 respectively in the previous year. The fall
in price was due to the unusually good crop.
5. Seventeen thousand five hundred and fifty chests were imported and lodged in the ware- Bombay Warehouse
house against 14,733 last year. & ;ccounts.
6. The area under poppy cultivation decreased irom 20,433 acres to 10,898 acres o win o’ Opium transactions
to the failure of the rains. Imports of Baroda opium into Bombay were 1,500 chests ao’ainS of fche B:iroda
2,240. The stocks held at the end of the year were 142,212 lbs. compared with 134,057 lbs. Stat? ‘
• 7. The total Imperial Revenue was Rs. 93,45,440 against R^. 83,06,322, the increase Total Im i :ei ’ ial
being mainly due to the expansion of exports to China. The opium establishment in Bombay Beven ^. and
City and Ahmedabad, which is the only item of expenditure, cost Rs. 34 092 a^amst Xp:JndltUie *
Ks. 33,260 in 1906-1907. > o -
9. Balt.
For details see the Report of the Salt Department of the Bombay Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. for 1907-1908 and
Tables under Salt, printed in Part IV (b) of the Statistics of British India.
1. The salt with which the Bombay Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. Salt Department has to deal is derived GeQer al sources of
from three sources—(1) Baragra salt manufactured at the Pritchard Salt Works at Kharaghoda supplj '*
and Udn; (2) sea-salt produced at works on the coast; (34 salt imported mainly from
Portuguese India.
2. The quantity in stock at the beginning of the year was 3,099,992 maunds against Bdragra salt.
3,570,186 at the beginning of the previous year. The produce during the year amounted to
2,308,421 maunds, a total, with the balance, of 5,408,413. The removals during the year
^mounted to 2,742,639 maunds against 2,509,732 in 1906-1907. This substantial increase is
due, partly to the further reduction of duty, but partly also to the shortage of wagons on the
n. B. and C. I. Railway in March 1907 which led to numbers of last yearns permits being
satisfied during the year under report. There has been an increase in local consumption in all
districts except Broach, Khandesh, Rewa Kantha, and the City of Bombay, showing the
continued efficiency of the new preventive arrangements. The increase is most noticeable in
Baroda, Kaira and Cambay. Loss and wastage amounted to 205,218 maunds, or 3 , 79 per cent.,
against 322,535 maunds or 5’4 per cent, in 1906-1907, a satisfactory decrease. In spite of the
opening of 70 new pans in the last two years the quantity in stock at the end of the year was
considerably below the safe minimum. Thirty more pans are to be opened next season. The cost
pnee was the same as last year, viz., Re 0-2-3 per Indian maund. 470 pans were worked during
^ e year. The average yield per pan increased from 5,439 to 5,635 maunds. 1,410 Agrias were
pmd at the rate of Rs. 139 per head.
i i ^l 16 T uan tity of salt manufactured was 8,963,353 maunds against 8,835,929 maunds Sea salt.
^ SSues rose 4o the unprecedented figure of 9,290,339 maunds, an advance of
maunds over the last years total. At Dharasna the quantity manufactured was
’ . umunds, a decrease of 23,925 maunds due to the abandonment of 61 pans as
i °4her salt works the produce was 8,649,174 maunds against 8,492,815 maunds
^ vo , " ^7, and the issues 8,929,033 maunds against 7,963 715 maunds. Removals from salt
964 n^ 1 '^ or consun:1 ption within and without the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. show an excess of
cas wvf °ver last year's figures. The marked increase of 407,498 maunds in the
Wa t ^cwtta must be attributed almost entirely to the Swadeshi movement. Loss and
salt ar ^ sna amollnte( l 4o 24,5 iO maunds, 6,541 more than last year. At the other
° rka percentage was 7'3 against 7*2.
The vp*rl T- 16 T-^tity of Goa salt imported increased by 52,836 maunds to 364,84o maunds, Pmp3rte< *
UC 10n duty was the cause of this increase.