Page 497 - 3 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 1_Neat

3

Import*.
The total imports by sea amounted to .£103,972 and showed a decrease of
S'75, as compared with the figures for 1023-21, which is accounted for by the
decreased import of cofTcc, coir and coir rope, fruits, matches, metals, piece-
goods, rice, sugar loaf, tamarind and wheat.
Of these total import trade 75*23 per cent, was with India, 12*37 per cent,
with ’Iraq, 10*04 per cent, with Arab Coast, aud 2*34 per cent, with Persian
Coast.
Export.
The total exports by sea amounted to £54G,G51, which is nearly double
the figures for 1923-21. The increase is largely owing to the figures for
pearls "and specie exported to India. As, however, the actual figures for
pearls exported is never known accurately, the discrcpincy is not so great as
it appears.
Of the total export trade 51*57 per cent, was with India, 21*82 per cent-
with Persian Coast, 1*2*36 per ceut. with ’Iraq, and 11*21 per cent, with
Arab Coast
Customs Administration and Lighterage.
The administration of the Kuwait Customs is supervised by a local Arab
and the system works satisfactorily. An import duty of 1 per cent, ad
valorem is charged, and there is no export duty except on goods brought in
from the interior, such as clarified butter, hides, wool, etc., on which -1 per cent,
is charged if exported.
The arrangements for lightering and landing cargo at Kuwait are
superior to those at any other port in the Persian Gulf.
Freight, Shipping and Navigation.
Kuwait owns about 221 boats engaged in the carrying trade, as distinct
from pearling and fishing boats ; of these sixty haveja carrying capacity of
over 100 tons, including eight over 300 tons and twenty over 230 tons.
The British India Steam Navigation Company maintain a weekly service
from, and a fortnightly service to, India.
Steamers owned or chartered by the Persian Gulf Steam Navigation
Company, Limited \i), The Oriental Steam Navigation Company, Limited (4),
The Eastern Steam Navigation Company, Ltd. (6), also called on the way
from India as inducement olfcred.
All steamers entering the port were sailing under British flag.
The rate of freight by the British JIndia Steam Navigation Company’s
steamers was £1 13*. Id. per ton on wool and dry fish and £1 4*. on dates and
£1 per ton on general cargo to Bombay and Karachi throughout the year.
The average rate of freight by the other lines was £1 per ton from
Bombay and Karachi.
Sea Fisheries.
The only truly local produce of Kuwait is that yielded by the harbour
fisheries, which are a valuable asset. Besides float-and-weight, nets and Hnw
traps and tidal weirs, constructed of reed hurdles, are also employed ; the
fish eutcr them with the flowing tide and are left behind at the ebb. The
majority of the fish caught is consumed locally, hut a small proportion is dried
and exported to Basrah and elsewhere.
Boat Building.
Twenty-four boats of an aggregate value of £7,750 were built durin®* the
year. Of these five had carrying capacity of about seventy tons, sixtce°n had
forty tons and three of twenty tons each. This figure is not included in the
trade tables.