Page 481 - 6 Persian Trade rep BUSHIRE 2_Neat

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and at the same lime hr able to withstand lh* ••(Hit'll
handling and rough roads to which lhc\ arc normal!;* subjected.
It. would therefore he essential before attemptmg anythin*: in this
direction to carry out a careful study of local c .millions and to pa\
attention to the questions of accessories and credit, The
fact that spare parts for the hotter known American cars in this
area are readily available and that some manufacturers oblige,
their agents to carry certain minimum stocks is a great point in
iheir favour with the local purchaser, l imed States manufacturers*
are often prepared to give their agents long term- of credit which ar»*
passed on to tin* customer and this i> a furl her cause ol popularity.
Imports of British sugar, which appeared to he making consider­
able progress two years ago both through Basra into Iraq as well
as through the ports on the Arab side of the (lull', showed a
disappointing decline. In ’Iraq, the amount fell 1mm tons oi
per cent., of the total in PJ32-33 to 0,404 tons or 15*3 per cent,
of the total in 1033-34. Meanwhile the imports of Belgian and
Dutch sugar increased and Egyptian sugar jiIso became popular.
The reasons for the set hack to British sugar in Bahrain and Kuwait,
will he examined in the sections dealing with these Sheikhdoms.
In Persia, the decision to allow the U.S.S.K. onh a portion of
the sugar quota instead of the whole, as previously, insulted in
large quantities being imported from Belgium, Holland and Java,
hut the varying restrictions greatly handicappei) merchants in order­
ing from abroad. Tp to the present no British sugar has appeared
in the South of Persia, hut it is possible that there would he an
opening in this market in the event of further relaxation of the
existing regulations.
indin retained an almost complete monopoly of the import of
tea on the Aral) side, though some Java tea appeared in Bahrain
and was imported in large quantities through Basra into ’Iraq.
In Persia supplies came mostly from Calcutta. Colombo and
Batavia.
Shipping.—'Jure chief features of shipping in the Gulf during the
last, two years have been the withdrawal of Soviet Union steamers
and the steady progress made by the German Hansa line. The
cessation of Soviet Union shipping since the summer of 1933 was
due, m part, to the fact that the U.S.S.K. took little in the way of
exports from either ‘Iraq or Persia and consequently her ships were
without cargo on the homeward journey. 'The withdrawal til
Soviet Union steamers did not, however, prevent U.S.S.K. goods,
consisting mostly of matches, glass and porcelain ware, from arriving
cither in chartered Greek steamers running between the Black
Sea and Basra or in Sirick boats after transhipment at Tort Said.