Page 56 - 5 Persian Trade rep BUSHIRE I_Neat

12 BUSH IKE.

come in 190G-07 ; most of that entered as German being shipped
from the depot of Austro-Hungarian sugar in Hamburg. It ia
moist and yellow-tinged, almost dirty in colour, and not nearly
so sweet ns the crystal sugar. As in the case or loaf sugar the 6oft
sugar assigned to India and the United Kingdom is probably
almost entirely Austro-Hungarian crystals transhipped in the
United Kingdom and Bombay. Formerly all Austro-Hungarian
sugar was transhipped at Bombay; now it comes through London
via Hamburg.
There is no reason why British refined crystals of equal quality,
if put on the Persian market at a slightly lower rate than the Austro-
Hungarian, should not command good business. No Russian soft
sugar was imported throughout the year.
Indigo and The decrease in the import of Indian indigo from 21,1641. to
fcermez. 15,833/. was the more unsatisfactory in that Continental competi­
tion accounted for part of the deficit. The indigo in question is a
synthetic product and is sent in tins to Isfahan, one of the great
dyeing centres of Persia. There is reason to fear that indigo will
be less used each year in the country as piece -goods are being
more and more dyed in Bombay, whereas formerly nearly all the
indigo dyeing necessary was done in Persia. Two sorts of Indian
indigo used are :—Madras, in boxes sewn in leather, worth 120 to
140 krans here (21. 2a. Cd. to 2/. Cs. 3d.), and Khairpur, sewn up in
three coverings, cloth, then skin and lastly gunny, worth 60 to
80 brans (1/. Is. Sd. to 1/. 8s. id.) per 7J lbs. The import of kermez
has practically ceased-
Tissues of There were large stocks of cotton piece-goods in the country
cotton. throughout the year and business was dull, but the rise in
the price of cotton does not appear to have affected the con­
stant flow of orders. There was an increase from 257,132/. to
276,452/. on British piece-goods and an increase of 63,798/.
on the total; the 60,000/. Indian increase is, however, largely
British goods transhipped from Bombay. White shirtings, 40 to
41 -yards, still hold the first place; in March- 1907, they stood
at 35 krans (about 13$. 2d.). They are followed by white mulls,
20 and 22 yards, chintz “ Dubahrs,” white, 65 yards, and choco­
late, 60 yards, and Turkey-red twills, 50 yards. The print market
up-country’ is reported spoilt to a certain extent by Russian prints,
but Shiraz to be still faithful to Manchester. Bushire and Shiraz
are full of Indian grey shirtings. India has also gone ahead
with Mexicans, which are still being dyed in Persia. It is esti­
mated locally that as much as 60,000 pieces, or 240 bales, of
dyed piece-goods have been imported during the past year
into Bushire, three-quarters of which were mull or “ Kasawari ”
(as it is termed when dyed with indigo). This material can be used
both in summer and winter, whilst dyed shirtings are only suitable
for wear in the cold months and in two months of mourning—
Moharrera and Safar—when those months occur during the
cold seasons. Instructions are usually given to dye in Bombay.

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