Page 266 - 8 Persian Trade rep Muscat 2_Neat

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approximately half way between Mu«c.vt and Has 3. Karri dates, which arc of premier quality, arc
Ma.<saudum but has only an emergency lauding mostly the produce of Oman proper. They fetch
ground on the mainland. high prices and arc exerted to both 1 lie United
Kingdom and the United States of America.
4. Inferior quality date:8 such as:—
(F) Social
(I) Itiluli. (T) Sidi.
•Sfnytfrrd of tiring.—The raajccity of the- indigenous (g) Muz.«rib.
population is completely poverty ridden and live a (3) Sarnn. (*) X.i;-al llilati.
Laud to mouth existence, g<::crnlly encumbered (•') Ga»li..Muibfrth.
with debt. They subsist chieCy by fishing and on (I) 7M\. (10) Miabrut.
the date harvest. In most cases a date crop is (."») Mu/nn;. (11) Ainbiibnr.
mortgaged a year in advance to speculative exporters (0) Oabh-B-u.vli. (12) XiauiL
and the cultivator rarely derives the full ImuT.ts
of his toil. Like many impoverished people the are more generally used for local consumption, hut
local inhabitant is hardy but a spendthrift and, small quantities find their way to the Trucial Oman •
expending what he has while he has it, has little heed and South Hast Arabian ports.
for the morrow. Dry dates arc chiefly exj-orted to India.
Employment.—Un-employment in the main towns 5. The date harvesting season extends front July
of Muscat and Matrah is rife. to September and the first- consignments usually
leave Muscat about mid-August.
Public llothh at"! Hygiene.—Hygiene and sanita­
tion are conspicuous by their absence and to this 6. Mot dates on arrival from the interior arc
r.K’.y bo largely attributed the great prevalence of delivered itt Mat rah where they are selected, pressed
malaria and the various fonts of cv* and sin a and packed in boxes of 12 lhs. and JOS lbs. each.
diseases which everywhere a found. Some are also packed in cartons, which in turn are
Muhicifulity.—A municipality exist* in name hat packed in wooden boxes containing 100-115 lbs. net.
Las neither the fuui- nor the administrative ability 7. The date trade is practically in the hands of
to eilcct ar.y improvements. the Indian trading community, ntanv of whom also
act as commission agents for the producers.
8. The price of dates is quoted by the Bbar
R. T. WATTS, Major, (equivalent to 1,800 lbs.) except when packed in
Political Agent ami 111* Britannic Majesty * boxes or packets.
CowjI, Muscat. The following are the average prices per bbar
that have prevailed during the last three seasons:—
Date Trade of Muscat. 1932-33. 1933 34. 1931-35.
One of the two main products of the Sultanate of Rs. Rs. Ra.
Muscat is dates. These arc grown both in the in­ Dry dates produced in Oman 80
terior of Oman proper and in groves extending north­ 81 89
ward for some 150 miles along the Eastern littoral Dry dates produced in Ba­
tin ah ....
from a point approximately 30 miles north of Matrah. 45 44 45
Wet dates produced in Bati-
This area is known as the Batixah.
n&h 39 40 27
2. The dates may be divided into two categories, Fard dates .... 53 69 37
nr., (a) wet and (&) dry. Fard dates packed in boxes,
The former comprise the following varieties :— per box .... 15 9
Fard dates pac-lccd in packets,
(1) Fard. (7) Khassah. per packet ... 9 6
(2) Khanisi. (8) Farfarah.
9. During the last three seasons the following
(3) BumL (9) Bate hi. quantities have been exported from Muscat:—
(4) Ha oral. (JO) Xag.L
(5) Abo-Xaraoj. (11) Xadlold. Year. Bags. Value
(in Rs.).
(0) Kbalsa. (12) HawamL
Dry dates . . 1932-33 79.870 0,88,712
whilst the latter consist of:— 1933- 34 98,748 8,71,317
1934- 35 12,390 11,22,7)6
(1) MubsalL Mats and boxes.
(2) Cajh-Abonarsaf.
Wet dates . . 1932-33 46,223 2^8,165
(3) HamxaL 1933- 34 44.612 2,52.906
1934- 35 02,300 2^4,37)
(4) Havami.