Page 61 - 5 Persian Trade rep BUSHIRE I_Neat

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way of Isfahan, from the hills in the district of Kadirabad in Fare
and from Bajigali near Shiraz has sprung up within the last few
years and seems likely to take still further hold on the population.
Large numbers of Jewish women are employed in Shiraz in the
sorting of .some 14 different classes, which range from the pure
shell-white to a brown gum mixed with earth. The method of
gathering it in Persia has been condemned as destructive in the
extreme; an incision is made in the stem and the roots are burnt.
In buj'ing from the peasants it requires considerable, acumen to
accurately estimate the proportion of the better classes of the gum
in the bags brought in for sale. Most of that ascribed to India is
transhipped to the United Kingdom; there have been amounts,
not unimportant, sent to the United States, Germany and France.
Despite the overstocked condition of markets at home, to
which in many cases exporters paid no attention, shipments of
insoluble gum proceeded throughout the year. At the commence­
ment of the season about. GOO bags on the spot in Bombay sold at
100 rs. per candy of 110 Bushire mans (equal to 854 lbs.), local
prices being -10 to 44 krans (14s. Gd. to 1 Gs.) per Ilashcm man of
124 lbs.
Tbe decrease of 282/. for wheat was duo to short yield. Local "WTieat.
prices fell from JO krans (5s. 4(7.) to 14 krans (4s. 8(7.) in July and
rose to IS krans (C-?.) in January, whence they fell to 1G krans again.
In irOG the return around Bushire was about 30 Hasliem mans
(3,720 lbs.) per ^gavi” of 250 yards by 250 yards for every
5 Hashcm mans sown; iu the fertile districts of Shabanbare and
Rud-i-Hilleli twice the amount is sown, and 50 Ilashem mans was
the crop per “ gavi.” Prospects were bright at the beginning of
December, 1906, and cultivation would have been undertaken on a
very large scale ; but, rain holding off, less than the usual quantity
of seed was sown- and some of it decayed from want of moisture.
Iu spite of a heavy fall of rain and promise of large crops, the yield
as far as regards the coast districts has fallen short of expectation,
red rust doing considerable damage. Around Kazerun and Konar
Takhteh, however, there were record harvests, the return being as
much as 100 grains for every one sown. Crops in Dashti and
Tangistan have been poor, but in the coast districts around Dilam,
Ma’shoor, Ginawa and Bonder Rig considerably above the average.
A bag of wheat weighing approximately 24 cwts. and priced at
15 krans (as. 5d.) per 124 lbs. has to pay 1} krans for a new bag;
1} krans for sifting and cleaning the grain ; f kran for jute yarn ;
-J kran for coolie hire to wharf; J- kran lighterage. But bo long
as the present duty of I kran (4£d.) per 10 mans (G5J lbs.) con­
tinues in force, it will he difficult to see the wheat export revive.
An ad valorem duty of 5 per cent, would not only permit of a largely
increased export and ensure the cultivation of land now lying idle,
but would mean a revival of agricultural industry throughout the
south, improvement of trade generally and would add largely to the
revenue of the Imperial customs.
(230) B