Page 157 - 6 Persian Trade rep BUSHIRE 2_Neat
P. 157
REPORT
ON TIIB
TRADE OF BUSHIRE
/ortli0 Persian Fiscal year corre3p°ndlng with perioi 21st March 1919
to 20th March 1920.
Conditions affecting trade. per cent, and the latter 20*42 per cent, making a
total of 73*6 percent from the British Empire.
The trade of the port of Bushire for tho period This is a considerable falling off from last year
i:ader renew shows an increase in tho total when tho British Empire supplied 93 per cent, of
lioho-.e of trade of very nearly £300,‘>00 over
•.bat cf last year, the wholo of which was in the imports, bat this was only to bs expected as
a revers on to more normal conditions. The only
Ijjpjjts, as the imports showed a decrease. The other countries supplying more than 6 per cent,
l:*son for tho increase in exporta is probably of the imports were China and Egypt which sup
' be greater security in Fars and on the Buahire- plied 5*2S per cent, and 5*06 per cent, resj^e-tively.
'Sbiraz road owing to tho presence of British
i'cdias Troops at Shiraz aad on the road through Of the exports India took tbs largest propor
ly the year. This factor greatly assisted trade, tion, 43 02 peT cent, while the United kingdom
’u did the fact that more shipping was available, took 6*6 V per cent, totalling 50*25 per cent, for tha
•lieprincipal reason for the decrease in imports is British Empire. This is a considerable advance on
'that very large amounts were imported in tho fast year whoa the British Empire only received
j:roprevious yeara to replenish stacks, and the 35 44 of the total exports. The places receiving
jsirket became overstocked. Trade was still the njit largest proportion of the exports are
Capered by shortage and excessive cost of Hongkong with IS* 19 percent, and Sigrkpore with
Surofcaa and American manufactured articles; 10*62 per cent.
hcessive steamer freights ; shortage of, and high Imports.
.ite of hire of, transport animals. The Bushire-
3.'fasjin Railway, originally a parely military The imports daring 1919-20, &s mentioned
j:e, was opened to civil traffic in May 1919, ancl above, showed adeorea?e of £223,093—almost the
dped to quicken up trade to Shiraz, but it is too whole decrease was from India, over £99ft,0(»0
’•tort to affect the situation very much. and from Dutch East Indies £32,009. Other
countries showed increases headed by the United
Volume of Trade. Kingdom with aa inorease of £239,000.
By far the largest item of decrease in imports
The total trade of the port of Bnshire during was tea the import of which declined by
i* Persian year Qui-Il, corresponding to the £280,281 on .the average of the preceding two
;*i°d 21st March 1919 to 20th March 1920, years; this more than accounted for the whole de
Ranted to £3,641,012 compared with
,:yll,CG0 in 1916-19 and £3,260,130 in' 1917- crease in imports. The reason for it is not oWr
unless merchants were holding up in anticipation of
\*o increase of 8 96 per cent, and 11*68 per a redaction of duty at the end of the rear. Possi
% respectively. bly also there was an increase of smuggling.
Of this trade the imports amounted to Another large decrease was in the import of rice
,‘ .<23,357, » decrease of £223,093 over the which fell to £62,657 ; this was dne to the,
iTtJ^e °f the two previous years, and the exports restrictions on the export of rics from Iodia. A
,i 317,(555 an increase of £522,505 over the similar cause reduced the imports of flour by
j !rige of the two previous years. £ 32,634. The import of indigo decreased by
’iJn imports was from India and some £55,000 and of spices by £ 23,271, but this
Duatcd Kingdom the former supplying 47*18 reason for these decreases is not very clear unless
