Page 181 - DILMUN NO 19

he Economic istoyr of ahrain

he goernment continues to encourage agricultural deelopment patrly by
proiding free pesticides and eterinayr seices, as well as subsidiing seed,
machineyr and fertiliers. Encouraging farm actiity is an emotional issue
because historically agriculture played a key role in the nation's economy and
scoial setting. he sector produces fruits, egetables, lafalfa for animal
fodder. oreoer, firms from audi rabian are major suppliers of daiyr
products to ahrain, a practice facilitated by the causeway linikng the two
countries. ltogehter, high rents of lands plus salyt soil and low income for
famers all contributed to the limited effectieness of the sector.

3.0 E ١٧IG CI٧١Y

earl actiity dominated the economy notably in the first uatrer of the

wtentieth centu.yr round 10 to 120, or the golden years, the industyr

sustained some 20,000 jobs employed at 00 ships, " he sector generated

some 2m ritish ounds, constituitng about half of total eports. ut

thereatfer, the industyr suffered serious problems, which could not recoer.

he demise was chiefly caused by the emergence of cultured pearls from

Japan around 120s, Other reasons were the Great epression in the West

plus irsing oppotrunities of work in the new oil industyr. he oil actiiyt only

reinforced the demise of the pearl diing indust.yr any deicded to leae the

fam business and instead work for the oil concern, patrly because of

cetrainyt and pa.y

10 utler, ocket Wolrd in Figures 10, 40.

11 ohammde ١-omaihi, ١ aharin wa moshkelat al tagheir al siyashi wal ijtmai, {ahrain:
politiacl and scoial problems associatde with change). 2nd ed. Kuwait: Kademah
ublishing, ranslatlon and istirbution, 14, .