Page 156 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (IV)_Neat

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Shaban, 1368 .. 8 lbs. wheat io lbs. wheat Rs. 1.2.0
6 lbs. rice 6 lbs. rice Rs. 1.6.0
3 lbs. sugar J lb. sugar Rs. i.S.o
Ramadhan, 1368 .. .. 8 lbs. wheat 8 lbs. wheat Rs. 1.2.0
8 lbs. rice 8 lbs. rice Rs. i.O.o
3 lbs. sugar i lb. sugar Rs. i.8.o
Shawal, 1368 .. 8 lbs. wheat io lbs. wheat Rs. 1.2.0
6 lbs. rice 6 lbs. rice Rs. 1.6.0
3 lbs. sugar lb. sugar Rs. i.S.o
Dhulqaada, 1368 .. .. 8 lbs. wheat io lbs. wheat Rs. 1.2.0
6 lbs. rice 6 lbs. rice Rs. 1.6.0
3 lbs. sugar Jlb.sugar Rs. i.S.o
Dhul Haj, 1368 .. .. 8 lbs. wheat io lbs. wheat Rs. 1.2.0
6 lbs. rice 6 lbs. rice Rs. i.6.o
3 lbs. sugar $ lb.sugar Rs. i.8.o

In addition to the per capita wheat ration a number of licensed bakers in Manama, Muharraq and
Hedd were issued with wheat at the scale of 4 lbs. per head of the adult population for making bread, which
was sold to the public at controlled prices and weight. Here again with the arrival of large stocks of flour,
bakers found it more economical to buy flour, than to buy controlled price wheat and then pay milling or
grinding charges on the wheat.

Dates
Due to an abnormal cool summer and the prevalence of dust storms it soon became apparent that
there would be a very' poor date crop during the year under review. The Government received numerous
petitions from tenants of date gardens complaining that the crops would not be sufficient to cover the
rent paid to the owners. Accordingly the Government appointed a committee to visit all the gardens
from where petitions had been received, and assess the loss.
An overall loss of approximately 50 per cent, was assessed by the committee and after reference to
His Highness it was decided that the total loss assessed would be borne by the owner of the garden.
It was learnt that in Katif and Iraq, similar poor crops had been realised, so naturally owing to
the scarcity, the price of dates rose steeply. Bahrain dates (murzaban) rose to Rs. 340 per galla, as com­
pared to Rs. 180 per galla last year, whilst Basrah dates were selling at Rs. 25 per rateli of 84 lbs. As
dates arc one of the main staple diets of the poor and working class people, this state of affairs was a cause
of grave concern to the Government whose sole object was to endeavour to ensure that essential foods
were available to the public at reasonable prices.
At a meeting of the Food Control Committee held towards the end of the Arabic Year, it was
decided, subject to His Highness the Ruler’s permission being obtained, to allow the import of dates into
Bahrain free of all Customs charges for the first three months of 1369. In addition, barter sugar at a price
of Rs. 30 per bag of 224 lbs., would be given to date importers at a scale of io bags of sugar for each
1,000 baskets (ratelis) of dates imported. His Highness’s sanction to this proposal was quickly forth­
coming and the public were informed by Ahlan, accordingly. At the time of writing this report, I am
able to advise that imports of dates arc good and the prices have fallen by 50 per cent, and the poor and
working people are again in a position to buy their requirements of this commodity. As a result of barter
sugar being once again available to the Government, there were plentiful supplies of meat throughout
the year.
Fish supplies during the year were again well short of requirements and several eases of selling fish
in private houses at prices higher than the controlled rate, were successfully prosecuted in the local Courts.
Contributory causes of the shortage of fish arc, the ever increasing European and Indian population,
increased air traffic through Bahrain, and the decrease in the number of fishermen. Steady employment
can readily be obtained ashore. Efforis arc being made to induce merchants to use more launches for
fishing in the coming winter, the one launch used last year made a steady income.
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