Page 24 - 3 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 1_Neat

2
Tlicfio havo held their own, and indoed the returns show a small increase. Tho
hulk of tho retail purchasers are townspeople who have learnt to appreciato the
stability of the rupee and deal in it for preference.
The decrease in rice is a comparatively small one and is accounted for by
the lower purchasing power of the pcoplo owing to losses in tho pearl trado.
Many people cannot afTord Indian rice and havo to content themselves with
the inferior and cheaper article from Turkish Arabia.
There is a noticeable decrease in tho sugar from Germany, which is partly
due to the fact that in the previous year’s returns Austrian sugar was included
under Germany and in the present returns they have becu separated, and partly
to tho fall in the price of silver. The merchants are holding up their stock
aud arc reluctant to import a fresh supply.
Specie remittances have shown an increase of Us. 87,300 on the total
amount impoited. But it will be noticed that remittances from India havo
considerably decreased and those from Maskat have increased. This increase
is due to the fact that at one time tl c price of dollar in Koweit was higher.than
in Maskat when large sums ia dollars were imported from Maskat to bo
exchanged for rupees.
Enamel and hardwares',—These were included under unspecified articles
in the last year’s returns. Enamelware is in common use in every houso in
Koweit Very little Chiaaware is used.
Tamarind was also included in miscellaneous articles last year. It is
principally imported from the Malabar const A good deal of it is smuggled to
the Persian coast and the rest is consumed locally.
There is a new item of " goat hair, ” and tho import is considerable. It
is imported from India and Mekran const. A part of it is smuggled into
Turkish Arabia to avoid sanitary restrictions and the rest is taken away by the
Bedouin into the interior. It is woven into blankets, which arc then used for
tents by the desert Bedouins.
One notable increase deserves special mention, viz., tea, tho import of which
is five times that of last year. The importers arc chiefly Persians dealing with
Messrs. Brooke, Bond and Co. of Calcutta. Much of this is smuggled into
Persia as may bo seen from the 50,000 lbs. shewn in the local buggalow
returns (exports), but the increase in consumption by Arabs is marked.
Imports by bvggaloio.
A glance at the imports of the country sailing boats will show that there
has been a general decrease in most of the items.
The following remarks attempt to account for tho more noliceable varia­
tions in the trade of particular items comparing the present year’s operations
with those of 1906-1907 :—
(a) TTcod for building boats.
Merchants had large stocks on hand from the last year, and there being no
market bugealows, when returning to Koweit, visited Bahrein, Linga and
Dubai and disposed of most of their wood and brought home a small balance.
Of this small balance Jths is said to have been taken to Basrah. Koweit vessel
owners cannot afford to build or repair this year.
(b) Wheat and barley.
There has been a marked decrease of over a lac in these two commodities,
and the reasons given for this are good offerings at Bahrein and Maskat.
"Wheat was exported to these places direct from the Persian coast and, therefore,
less was imported into Koweit. No barley came from Turkish Arabia, because,
owing to a good market there, the produce was disposed of on the spot. An
additional reason for the decrease in barley was that tliore was a barge stock in
hind of the previous year’s supply, and that is why only a moderate quantity
was imported from the Persian coast.