Page 685 - PERSIAN 4 1899_1905

RESIDENCY AND MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOB THE YEAR 1904*1006. 3.41

Paet VI.—TRADE REPORT 03? BUNDER ABBAS FOR THE YEAR
1904.
The year 1901 baa been one of the worst, from a trade point of viow,
which Bunder Abbas lias yet cxpcricucod.
General Remarks. Rain was good, crops were excellent and
the condition of the country was such as should have naturally given consider­
able impetus to trade; but, the figuros, compiled from the careful statistics of
the Custom Department, 6how a very different state of affairs. The value of
the imports is the lowest yet recorded in yenrs, for which reliable statistics arc
available, being £317,708 against £419,115 for 1903 or a fall of 29} per cent.;
and, against £329,297, the previous quinquennial averago the fall is 3£ per
cent. The value of the exports, notwithstanding the removal of duties on
almost all goods exported, lias also fallen, being £122,106 against £138,032 or
a fall of nearly 12 per cent, and, against £130,097 the previous quinquennial
average, the drop is also about 12 per cent. The figures for 1899, however,
are unreliable having been obtained more or less by guess work aud are mani­
festly too low in the case of imports and too high for exports ; the quinquen­
nial averages are therefore not quite true indices of the trade.
The United Kingdom and India supply 31*2 and 171, respectively or 78 6
per cent, of the total imports and receive G'l and 76T, respectively, or 81*2 per
cent, of the total exports. The next host countries are France with 68 per
oent. of imports and Arabia with 1*5 per oent. of the exports. The depression
noticed in last year’s report continued, trade being almost at a standstill until
October ; it is only during the last three months of the yoar that any real
volume has passed through the port.
In view of the general prosperity of the country it is diffioult to explain
the oause of the great decrease, especially
Customs tariff and duties.
in imports. Local opinion does not hold
that it is due so much to the rise in the Customs duties brought about by the
tariff of February 1903, as to the many harassing formalities required by the
Customs authorities and to the rigorous manner in which these formalities
are enforced. There are a number of 6tamp fees and petty duos on all goods
which are incurred between delivery from the steamer and clearance from the
Customs House, which must be paid before removal. These dues do not
amount to a large sum on a large consignment of one article, but the propor­
tion paid on large and small miscellaneous consignments varies enormously and
so muob to the detriment of the latter that the sale of small consignments at a
profit becomes a matter of some difficulty.
Added to this is the fact that the very complicated rules, apparently
framed on European models, are not yet properly understood by the native
community.
There is no doubt that many small traders have found it exceedingly
difficult to continue business, some having even given up the struggle and
gone elsewhere.
I would repeat the warning to merchants, contained in last year’s report
to closely 6tudy the tariff and subsequent regulations which must bo complied
with, however complicated and unnecessary they may seem to traders; com­
pliance with the provisions will be found to save endless trouble in the clear-
ance of goods by consignees. The coverings of paokages should bo reduced to
a minimum, for most of the duties are levied on gross weight; gross weights
of paokages should be shown in inyoioos as well as the values of goods; invoices
and Bills of Lading should be despatched by mail as soon as possiblo, so as to
reach consigneee before the expiry of 11 days from the landing of the goods,
as warehouse dues become leviable after this period ; it frequently happons that
the consignee has either to let bis goods remain in the Customs and incur ware­
house dues or have them all opened out in order to make a proper and complete
declaration for clearance.