المجموعة ٣٠/٨٠ "التجارة: تقارير عن أسواق الخليج الفارسي والفرص التجارية" [و‎‎٢‎٦‎١] (٧١٢/٥٢٢)

(1)
India (including re dxports)
£32,069
(2)
Iraq do. do.
4,280
O)
Persian Coast.
2,085
(4)
Arab Coast
402
(5)
Countries not specified.
186
Total
£ 39,023
As already mentioned it is very difficult to find out exactly
vviiat proportion of a- ount 3 (ij and (2) is shared among the principal
competing countries since a great part of the piece goods trade
comes tlirough India or Iraq, and is shown as ’’of Indi an origin ” in
the local Customs figmres. But generally speaking British piece
goods come via Iraq, and Japanese, Italian etc. via India.
Considering the ^hole aspect of the trade and the low nominal
4>o ad valorem Custom duty charged on goods landing at Kuwait, there
would appear to be a f<' r more promising field for an increased Biitish
trace in Kuwait then at presort is the case but British firms will
have to come down in their prices so as to compete ”dth the artificial
silks, slieetiiigs and other cotton fabrics imported from Italy,
America, China, Russia and Japan. It should be realized that most
of the people of Kuwait exo not fax removed from the Bedouin nomad,
ans as such are not educated enough yet to r ealize the value of, and
tne saving on a good article. This is on? of the chief and foremost
reasons why foreign piece goods find a better market and are more
appreciated than British goods. Foreign manufacturers appear also
to study" local requirements more than British firms do, for instance
Japan has realized that the white cotton ■'Test or singlet with circular
collar is the garment wanted by divers and sailors of the Gulf in
summer. She has accordingly gone for their market and captured it.
Similarly Italy is trying to capture the local "quilt" trade b, flood
ing the market with cheap but veiy good tartan rugs which are sold at
£0.12.0 and £0.14.8 and which she hopes will oust the quilt. She
probably mill succeed, for the article is very popular. British
firms might with a a vantage try pushing their trade by means of Arabic
and Persian speaking travelling agents, whom one very" rarely sees in
tnis part of tne world.
Is regards trading methods common to the market, direct
importation from tne manufacturers in foreign countries is not often