Page 111 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947_Neat
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                               SECTION ft

                      TRADE AND TRADE FACILITIES

           General Conditio^
                      Trade was In general slack.     It was only the passage             i

           into Iran of considerable supplies of war materials that Increased
                                                                                          I
           the figures for Imports above last year's level.      Other Items
           of Import were the wheat supplied to Persia by the Allies, and
           sugar.   Lack of shipping space together with difficulties In

           securing export of foodstuffs from India restricted general                    !
                                                                                          I
           commercial Imports,    The shortage of shipping space led to an
           increased use of dhows.
                     The export trade with India, Iraq, and the United States
           continued with only a small decline in volume.      Had shipping space

           been available, however, the figures for export might have shown an
           increase, as there was an increased demand in foreign markets,
           e.g. from America for gum tragacanth, and from India for attarl,

           gum Arabic, and goat hair.
           Shipping
                    (a) British.
                        There was an increase in the number of British ships
           calling during the year - 81 ships as against 69 in 1941.       The

           increase was composed largely of ships taken from the Far Eastern
           routes after the outbreak of war with Japan and particularly of
           ships of various lines carrying war supplies.      The number of
           Strick Line ships calling declined - 4 ships, as against 8 in 1941.

                        The import tonnage brought by British ships increased
          by 50#, from 18,643 tons to 27,707 tons.
                    (b) Foreign
                        United States of America.     19 ships carrying a total

          of 19,324 tons called as against 14 ships last year which Imported
          only 1,448 tons*     The great increase in tonnage carried represents
          very largely war supplies.

                        Dutch.    3 Dutch ships called as against 1 last year*
          But the total of goods imported rose from nil to 2,817 tons. . .
                        Norweglia                                    Norwegian /
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