Page 328 - 8 Persian Trade rep Muscat 2_Neat

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Tnnsptat rates by nr. Date Trade of Muscat.
One of the two main products of the Sult.u.ntr
Xainr cl t'« a. X.», *4 >11’**. llite |ir trip.
of Muscat is dates. These are grown both in the
interior of Oman proper and in groves extending
U*. a. r.
n.utliwards for sonio 150 miles along the K.isvtii
M’i-v*t t • Mnlr.-ih . 1 b 0 littoral from a point approximately .30 miles north
IUlt*al.rahJ . >1 3 0 0 of Mat rah. This area is known as the Butinab. gk
„ Wutilyib 10 4 0 0 2. The dates may he divided into two catcgorv^,,
Fib M 12 0 0 viz., (a) wet and (L) dry.
Ulrica V. 1 i 0 0 The former comprise the following varieties :—
Mufn> 'H , 0 0
Futvalq . F7 2 0 o <1) Far«L (7) Kliass&b.
KhaVura 110 25 0 0 (2) Khaaifi. (S) Tar fa rih.
(3) Bumi. (3) Bardii.
Faliau . 12* 40 0 0
(4) Haiiz.il. (10) Xapil.
SaLai i:« SO 0 o (5) Abu-Xarauj- (11) Mudluki.
»• KUt-cl-Uaa 1'S « 0 0 (C) KLalas. (12) Ilawaui.
>Iartlf-fl-MatTxl*h . 112 *5 0 0
.1 ,'r Service.—Imperial Airways liivc an aerodrome !; whilst the latter consist of:—
which is a refuelling station on tic Makran Coast
at ijwadur. a ] o.»4e-sion of the State of Muscat. The (1) Mufenli.
Air Route passes over the Sultan’s territory approxi­ (2) Casa Abunaranj.
mately half-way between Muscat and Rns Musandam. (3) Ilnuzal.
hut has only an emergen ry landing ground on the (4) Hawami.
mainland.
3. Fard dates, which are of premier quality, are
mostly the produce of Oman proper. They f.-trh
(F) Social. high prices and zx-t exported to both the Uut*d
Elardard of Living.—The majority of the indi­ Kingdom and the United States of America.
genous population is completely poverty ridden and 4. Inferior uality dates .such as :—
live a hand o mouth existence, generally incum­
bered with debt. They subsist chiefly by fishing (1) Hihli. (7) Sidi.
aul on the date harvest. In most cases a date crop (2) Muza rib. (5) X.n;;al HUali.
is mortgaged a year in. advance to speculative (3) .Sunna. (6) C.vIl.MlZrhfall.
exporters and the cultivator rarely derives the full (4) Zabid. (10) Sh.jbrat.
benefits of his toil. Like many impoverished people (.r») Muzang. (11) Aiubckar.
the lota! inhabitant is hardy but spend-thrift and (C) Gash'Baraeh. (12) N’izad.
expending what he has, has little heed for the
morrow. arc more generally us'-d for local consumption. but
Employment.—Un-employment in the main small quantities CncI their way to the Tiucial Omau
towns*of Muscat and Matrab is rife, and South-East Arabian Ports.
PnUic Health and Hygiene.—Hygiene and sanita­
tion arc con-piccous by their absence. Aarious Dry dates are chiefly exported to India.
forms of eye and skin diseases and malaria abound 5. The date harvesting season extends from July
everywhere. to September and the first consignments usually
The fish and meat markets and slaughterhouses leave Muscat about mid-August.
in both the towns of Muscat and Matrah undertaken 6. AVet dates on arrival from the interior are deli­
during the years lf»35-3'0 were completed during vered in 3Iatrah where they are selected, pressed
the period under review. and packed in boxca of 12 lbs. and JOS lbs. each.
Some arc also packed in cartons which in turn are
Municipality.—A municipality exists in name
but has neither the funds nor the administrative packed in wooden boxes containing 100—115 lbs.
ability to effect any improvements. net.
Tho date trade is practically in the hands of the
Indian trading community, many of whom also
act as commission agents for the producers.
R. P. Watts, Major, 8. The prices of dates is quoted by the Bhar (equi­
Political AgerJ and H. B. Af.’i Consul, valent to 1,800 lls.) except when packed in boxes
Muscat. or packets.