Page 329 - 1 Persian Trade rep Bahrain 1_Neat

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Imports. The marked fluctuation in the flow of trade is
n-n„ f,,lal value of imports into Bahrain amount- with India amounting to an increase of 71*5 pf'T
. 4 *ri 172,704 as against £753,418 during the cent, but if specie and pearls are omitted
* j-us’year, showing an increase of £41-1,316 or practically all the exports of merchandise from
rrv Bahrain are for the ncighlocring countries.
1 cent. The increases were in pearls, rice
fmroacd in lieu of specie as already noted, and This port is a distributing centre for goods for
LLie due to slight impovemoot in the pearl Qatr, Qatif, Najd and Persia. Smuggling of
market over the previous year. If tho current certain goods on which high tariff is levied in
veaW figures are compared with the year Persia Las now ceased owing to the blockade,
’1913-14,°»- c- a norTn;d pre-war rear tho decrease and system of permits, instituted Last June.
wodc be £704,SGG or 39-0 per cent, which Proportion of British and Indian Trade.
is cl course due to the effects of war. Excluding specie and pearl?-, the principal
articles of imports into Bahrain (other than
Exports. slaughter animals and fuel, etc. which are only of
The total value of exports fell from £161,02 4 iut*re*t to merchants in the neighbouring
to £'ioS,903 a decrease of £ 92,721 or 20*0 per countries) arc as follows:—
cent- It raut’fc be noted that, as the bulk of the
exports are 6Cnt by native boats, accurate Pcrccrtaimported from
statistics are not available. The figure for piece Articles. la ported in
goods fi e., £15,120) is probably below the mark. ly 15-16.
In «»*.ip.mson with the import of piece goods Incli. Other Coanlrici-
valotd at £ 142,SOU the e.\|>ort should have been '
(at ;L» highest) abc-nt £90,000 approximately. £
Tlie it rea?e of imp. rt of piece goods is partly due Rice 2:0.934 S5*2 1-8
to tx-mase of prices. The figure for rice Piece Gocds . M:,8X> :-S -9; IT
also <>-, £31/202) is probably considerably Gbee 22,748 3-0 i 37-0
below *.he mark. Coffee . 5-,773 :-o-5 0-4
Sugar 'Lwf, 25,503 S3 2 0^3
Origin of Imp or It. soft and
Candy.
Increase Tea • 66,440 4S-3 17
or Tol 3CCO . 20.067 11*3 8So
Cmatiy. 1314-15. 1915-16. Spices . 3,341 W-C 0-4
Decroise.
per cent per otnt. per Cent- From the above table it will be observed that
India . . . 77o 77*2 —*3 India heads the list in all the commodities which
lir.^bb.nrieg Coun­ she produces and for which there is demand here.
try* lurderiog on The United Kingdom does not produce any of the
tie Peiua Gulf. 17*9 £27 '*'■4*8
AU v.i<r Foreign i commodities in demand in Bahrain except piece
Cocaines. 4*6 *1 -4 5 | goods and sugar; as regards tie former, a great
deal of that shown under “ India *' no doubt comes
2 he above figures show that there have not originally from the United Kingdom. A*
been anr marked fluctuations in the flow of trade regards the latter owing to the war no continental
under imports daring the year under review. beet sugar has found its way to Bahrain, which
The tr-Jji with Foreign Countries has practically has been supplied during the year by Java,
ceased owing to the war. Borneo, China, Japan and Mauritius. The
United Kingdom cannot compete with these
Destination of Export*. markets, as far as Bahrain i6 concerned, owing to
higher prices. Japanese.sngac, to the extent of
Increase. some 10 per cent of the total import, has been
Corn uj. 1314-15. 1915-16. or
Decrease. introduced for the first time in Uhis market via
Bombay. Chinese sugar also finds its way to
per cent. per cent. per cent. Bahrain through the Bombay market, its share
KMV •• • • 8 1 70-6 ♦ 71*6 being about 20 per cent of tie total import.
afi£l-bom’ng coon- Mauritius gives 10 per cent and Java and Borneo
make np the remaining 60 per cent between them.
90-6 2fr4 -70*1
40 other Foreign All sugar is shipped from Indio ports and is
Commit*. therefore shown as imported from India.
1*4 -1*4
- T. C. FOWliE, Captain,
Officiating Political Agent, Bahrain.