Page 117 - 5 Persian Trade rep BUSHIRE I_Neat

liUSlIIRE. 17

Charcoal.—The import from India fell off from 4,102 to 3,277
cwts., this being due, it is stated, to shortage of the article in
India. Despite the great difference in the Bushire price between
Karaclii and local charcoal, the former costing 14 to JG krans (os. Gd.
to Gs. 3d.) per Ilashem indn of 124 lbs. and the latter only 5J to
G krans (2s. 2d. to 2s. id.), preference is given by those who can
afford it to the Indian article, as the Persian product brought from
the Borasjun district contains a large quantity of powder. Indian
charcoal does not go up-country beyond Kazerun.
CaJulies.—3,0G7 cwts. were imported in 1207-08, nearly double
the amount of 190G-07, and considerably above the average of recent
years. The figures, as given by the customs, would show that
1,373 cwts. of this were of British origin and 1,594 cwts. of Indian ;
my information, however, is that about 2,400 cwts. of the amount
came from Rangoon. This Burmese product, as noted in 190G-07,
has done very well since its int:oduction three years ago, and
evidently finds favour in Shiraz owing to its low price. In Bushire
stearine candles are more fancied, as b( ing better able to stand
the heat. The latter candles are principally of Dutch manufacture,
including those ascribed to German origin. It is important to
notice that the peasantry in these pr.its use little or no lights in
the summer months, and the season for demand, when a stock
should be on the spot, is the winter season, say November to March,
and more especially the mourning months of Muharram and Safar
(January 27 to March 27, 1909). Also to some extent in Ramazan,
Matches.—The surplus remaining from the over-stock of 190G-07
is in part the cause for the decrease from 4,887 to 2,227 cwts. I
As regards sulphur matches, which form the bulk of this import,
there was an additional reason for the fa!Iing-off; the Tulcans
Tandstickor “ Globe ” brand, made at Tidaholm, in Sweden,
have been able to supply Persia with only a very limited number
of cases, due, it is stated, to large contracts in India, which will
prevent their filling Persian orders till the autumn of 1909. Once
the pe asantry become used to a certain brand it is difficult to induce
them to take any other unless it can be produced at a lower price and
is as strong. Prices in Busliire during 1907-03 were for the brand in
question 140 krans (say 21.15s.) per ca s*‘ of 50 gross. The “ Ship ”
brand, manufactured at Soderteljc, in Sweden, is still the standard
for srfety matches, though a certain amount of Austrian matches
have been seen. Excepting these, almost the entire import to the
amount of 3,5G0£. is of Swedish origin, shipped in London, Bombay
or Hamburg. It is reported thit the match-making industry is
being reorganised in India, and it would be interesting to see if
such matches would suit the Persian market.
Kerosene.—No large shipment arrived from the United States
during the year under review, but there is a large amount stocked
all round the Gulf ports of American and Russian brands and also
a Hungarian brand, which was introduced to the market for the
first time. This competition has lowered prices considerably.
(468) B