Page 85 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

F
!
11

THE DIVING INDUSTRY..
The diving season was a good one. Pearl prices were very high although the catch does not
appear to have been a large one. Since the war the markets of Europe and America have been closed :
but there has been an active demand in India for pearls of all qualities and the prices which were paid
in Bombay this year were higher than in 1362. The season was a profitable one for divers, nakhudas
and brokers. Pearl prices in Bahrain were high at the opening of the season, then there was a slight
fall followed by a rise which was maintained until the end of the year.
In spite of the increasingly heavy cost of provisioning the boats only 6 boats out of the 167
whose accounts were dealt with by the Government diving clerks failed to make a profit.
The Government did what was possible to encourage the industry by selling dates and crushed wheat
to the nakhudas at controlled prices and by deferring the payment for the first supplies of food until
the boats returned after their first trip to the banks. The Government also waived the usual pearling
licenses for the year. These various concessions contributed to the success of the season.

It is still generally believed, outside Bahrain, that much of the revenue of the state is derived
from pearls. No direct revenue is derived from pearls or from divers apart from a negligible sum
which is paid for the annual registration of diving boats. No taxes of any kind arc levied on pearls
as it is the policy of the Government to encourage the industry by allowing it complete freedom from
any form of taxation. Indirectly the Government profits by the success of the pearl diving because
if the people concerned in the industry make money they spend it in the bazaars and more goods are
imported into Bahrain on which the Government collects customs tax.
The principal buyers during the season were Messrs. Dhamanmal Isardas, Messrs. Ratanchanu
Dipchand, Haj Yusuf Mahmood Hussein and Haj Abdurrehman Khunji; the last two arc local
merchants who have only recently interested themselves in the pearl trade. All the Bahrain sellers
sold profitably but it is thought that about half of the season’s catch is still being held by buyers wno
anticipate even higher prices next year.
The following shows the variation in the prices of different qualities of pearls at the beginning
and the end of the season :—
At the beginning of the season.
Sherin from Rs. 120 to Rs. 150 per chow.
Golwa II 40 .. 50
Na'am 70 .. .. 80
Badla 15 .. .. 20
In the middle of the season.
Sherin from Rs. 100 to Rs. 120 per chow.
Golwa 11 30 »» 40
Na'am M „ 60 „ „ 70
Badla »» .» 10 „ »• 15
At the end of the season.
Sherin from Rs. 120 to Rs. 150 per chow.
Golwa »» 4® •» •» 50
Na’am > • 11 50 .. » 6j
Badla 1 > .11 15 » 1» 20 •1

The diving advances for the year were :—
Diver. Puller.
Rs. Rs.
Tesqam .. 30 25
Selaf 30 25
Kharjieh .. 30 20
90 70