Page 118 - 5 Persian Trade rep BUSHIRE I_Neat

IS BUSUIRF,
Indigo.—The Indian grown article recovered to an extent,
2,1 GO cwts. being imported as against 1,441 cwts. in 190G-07. It
is, however, threatened by the attempts of German manufacturer!
to got the synthetic dye to take its place, and this latter allowed
an increase from 71 to 261 cwts. for the second year of introduction.
Two separate companies have been competing in Shiraz, one of which
had sent up a representative in 1906, but its sales are reported to be
limited in that district. Madras and Ivhairpur indigo should hold
its own if the trade is watched. An Isfahan merchant has stated
that the Indian dye seen there is often of poor quality, and also that
Madras dealers seem unwilling to send trial consignments of good
indigo for sale in Isfahan.
Copper.—The fall in prices in Europe from 1237. 10$. per ton
in March, 1007, to 111. in March, 190$, and the working off of the
old surplus stock account largely for the increased importation from
1,978 to 3.931 cwts., and inquiries are still being made for it. If the
figures for the previous years are studied it will be seen that in
Persia there is an alternate heavy demand and small demand for
copper sheets at fairly regular intervals, which is due to the indis­
criminate way in which Persians supply their wants. These copper
sheets now come ready folded for transport by mule or camel, not
flat as heretofore.
Exports.—•Though the total export trade of the port fell from
098,4217. to 497.99Jf., the share taken by the United Kingdom
rose from 29 to 49 per cent., being 243,79 17. instead of 174,5637..
due to opium almost entirely. The export of coin to Turkey and
of carpets to Suez were the only other considerable increases.
India’s share decreased G7.2447., chiefly in skins, almonds and gum,
and that of China decreased G2,$$47., chiefly in opium; their per­
centages of the trade falling respectively from 2-5 to 17 per cent,
and 19 to 9 per cent. The very smiU export of gum reduced
exports to Germany from 24,2287. to 1,7247. Total exports to Egypt
were 32,0087. less than in 1906-07.
Except for the very heavy export of opium and a small revival
of the export of wheat, the export trade was uniformly bad in
1907-08, and prospects for the next season are even worse.
Opium.—There are two points to note: the record shipments—
2,950 cwts., with a value of 165,5677.—to London, and the small
amount exported to China—894 cwts. The reasons given are the
short yields of Turkish sorts, owing to which the Persian drug was
much in demand on the London market, so much so that re-ship­
ments were even made from Hong-Kong to London. Sales to
arrive on the basis of 10 per cent, morphia test were made during
the middle of 1907 as high as 15$. Gd. per lb. The demand fell off
in September, 1937, and prices did not recover agiin owing to
good reports of the Turkish crop of 1908. Prices were inflated by
the desire of speculators to operate in advance, and some had
bargains were made. January, 1908, saw 1,200 chests of Persian
opium in London unsold.
The opium crop in Persia during 1907 was, however, considered