Page 111 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

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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 /