Page 55 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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Manamah and will make the country people less dependent on the town. Another advantage of
rationing is that it strikes a blow at the credit system by which almost every householder used
to be permanently in debt to his grocer. The rationing system is a ready money system.
In August a Food Control Committee consisting of several leading notables not personally
interested in the import trade or retail business was appointed to help the Food Controller. The
committee was afterwards increased and Ilis Excellency Shaikh Abdullah bin Isa was made President.
Weekly meetings were held and a sub-committee was elected especially to deal with village supplies.
At the end of the year the Government had taken to buying most of the rationed food supplies
not from any wish to compete with the merchants but because this method was in the public interest.
In November the Manamah Municipality took over the work of issuing ration cards from the
Food Controller and later the Muharraq Municipality undertook the same work in Muharraq. This
arrangement was more satisfactory and resulted in fewer complaints. The only exception to the
rationing rules were the members of the Ruling Family who were allocated monthly quantities, on a
generous scale, by the Ruler who also appointed a junior Shaikh to deal with their requirements.
One of the results of price control in Bahrain was that certain goods could be sold in
neighbouring countries at ten times the Bahrain price. Successful smuggling out of Bahrain produced
big profits and various ingenious methods were employed to smuggle out tea and sugar to Persia and
Iraq. Before the war the Customs authorities were constantly concerned with preventing smuggling
of goods into Bahrain with the intention of evading payment of import duty. Exports from Bahrain,
not being liable for duty, were not so closely scrutinised. Today the position has been entirely
reversed. Persons who manage to import goods do not attempt to smuggle them into the country
but the police and customs staff are busily engaged in catching smugglers who try to remove
foodstuffs from Bahrain in order to sell them where prices are high. In spite of the severe sentences
which are imposed by the Bahrain Courts successful smugglers make so much money that they
risk fine, imprisonment and confiscation of goods.
Comparison in Prices between Pre-War & Present Rates.
Commodity. Unit. Pre-War. Present Rate. Increase %.
Rs. a. p. Rs. a. p.
RICE (ballam)........................... maund 4 14 0 12 2 o 150%
,, (Karachi) maund 380 840 135%
WHEAT FLOUR ruba 046 090 100%
COFFEE NATIVE ruba 120 280 125%
GHEE Vegetable ruba 130 2 14 o 140%
MATCHES .................................... gross 120 4 3 6 275%
SUGAR ................................................ ruba 040 106 300%
TEA ................................................ ruba 300 786 150%
CIGARETTES on an average 100%
WHITE SHIRTING .. .. pee. of 40
yards.. 580 24 0 0 3385%
MALAFA.. pee. of 18
yards.. 180 380 135%
COTTON MULLS pee. of 20
yards.. 2 12 0 11 o o 300%
SUWALI .. pee. of 30
yards.. 400 23 o 0 475%
PRINTS .. .. pee. of 40
yards.. 280 10 o 0 300%
BASRA Dates .. maund 2 10 o 24 0 0 815%
SAF & JEREEDS thousand 10 0 0 12 o o 20%
REED MATS hundred <jooo 80 0 o 100%
firewood maund 600 15 0 0 150%