Page 265 - 8 Persian Trade rep Muscat 2_Neat

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import of textile.®, rice and coflee. The value of (O Agriculture,
exports also shows an increase of Ha. <5,80,077 _ . A , ,
accountable bj the greater export of dry dates and 0^° i^bTof the
n fish. country. The modern methods of irrigation and
As in the past, nee, coflcc, textiles, sugar and cultivation arc altogether unknown to the Omani
spices formed the principal articles of import. India an(1 bc appcar8 to be quite content with what little
(ft 'mucs to be the sole supplier of cereals. Sugar bc can grow by iig primitive methods. Dates,
is imported from Java and Belgium ana spices limes, tobacco pomegranates, sugar cane (very
mainly from India and China. small quantities for local consumption) and Luban—
Japan not only heads the list in the piece-goods resin of the alder tree which is used a.s a substitute
trade, as the following table of the value of piece- for frankincense—remain now, as in the past, the
goods for the years 1933-34 and 193-1-35 will show, principal crops of the country,
hut continues Jo strengthen her position in the market
year after year:—
CD) Industry.
1033-31. 1 SQt-35. A small local industry exists in Matrah for the
manufacture of turbans and Join cloths which are
R*. Pul
exported to Aden, Zanzibar and East Africa. The
India . . 1,17,074 1,22,123 weaving is done on hand looms in various Baluch
United Kingdom 28,190 36,215 tomes but is merely a cottage industry. No
machinery is employed and no State encouragement
Japio . • 3.62^79 W3.023 is given.
Chins • . .. 87,739
Other countries . 21,200 08.819 (E) Communications and Transport.
Slate of communications ge re rally.—The chief and
Total 5.29,703 8,13,519
cheapest means of commercial transport between
the coastal towns is still by dhows as, although
Imports from Germany which amounted to ^ cars plr and arlord rapid means of communica-
tion throughout the Batman, the unsuitability of
Rs. 33,180 in, the previous year dropped down to , . . , ,
Rs. 29,979 in zh° year under review, the chief articles the existing tracts for anything in the nature of lorry
imported being whisky and brandy, hardware, lamp- traffic precludes any attempt to introduce road
ware and perfumery. transport of commercial utility.
China is a ntrw comer in the silk market with a Transport rate* by car.
total of Rs. <50,679.
Suggestions for meeting the competition.—.Vs pointed Nine of tows. j -Vo. of mile*- j Hate per trip.
out in the Trade Report for 1933-34, the popularity
of the Japanese goods is mainly due to their cheap­ A bowl B«. A. p.
ness. British, goods, though superior in quality, Xuat to M»»nh . 2» 3 8 0
are beyond the means of the local inhabitants. Re­ „ Bal-t-aJ FftlftJ . 34 a o e
duction in prices, study of the tastes of the people
and proper advertisement would L-e steps in the „ W Stair eh • 10 4 0 •
right direction in the revival of British trader „ Elb . . . 38 32 0 O
Over-trading.—No over-trading was noticeable 68 15 O •
daring the year under review. Woio* . 73* 20 0 •
Bowiiq . 25 0 •
Commercial morality.—Generally speaking is sound. 87
wo Khabm . 110 35 0 •
Sabas 128 40 0 •
(B) Financial •» 244 50 0 «
KUt-d-Bu* . 365 55 • •
Ready-money.—Money was easy during the year. m
Xviir-d-ViUra5 192 70 • •
Bankruptcy.—No insolvency cases were filed during
the year. This ehows that the financial position Air Service.—The Imperial Airways have an
of the merchants was comparatively sound.
aerodrome which is a refuelling station on the Mekran
Ban fa.—Banks being non-existent all transactions Coast at Gwadur—a possession of the State of Muscat,
are met by h. uadis (drafts) on India. The Air Route passes over the Saltan’* territory