'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf for the Year 1937' [‎16v] (32/72)

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43. The Lawcourts, Registration and Census Offices have come very
little under the notice of the Consulate. A new Rais-i-Estinaf (Judge of the
Court of Appeal) was appointed early in the year. Enquiries made after a
fatal accident to some workmen at the Church Missionary Society's Church
at one time seemed likely to be embarrassing to the Mission Chaplain, who is
in charge of the building. The investigations of the Court for Officials have
been described. During their course, the Imperial Bank was requested to
give statements of various accounts in the names of clients. One of the
arrested merchants was able to arrange to be lodged in the Church Missionary
Society Hospital, whence he emerged a free man to leave the Iranian Govern
ment to pay the bill.
44. Agriculture. —The year has been a bad one for all rain crops owing
to prolonged drought, so that returns have barely compensated for seeds sown
in some districts. The cotton crop was satisfactory and beet is said to exceed
last year's production. The total grain crop was 50 per cent, under normal*.
The area sown with cotton, beet and wheat is said to be 600,000 hectares.
This area can probably only be increased by irrigation. Two important
schemes have been under consideration for some years. The heavy loss
consequent on the prohibition of opium production has not been made good
by these crops. The result of present conditions has been a rise of 200 per
cent, since 1934 in the price of commodities produced for food and fodder.
As all production has recently been dependent on the Agricultural Depart
ment and the Trading Companies with Government monopolies for all traffic
in cotton, wool, sugar, dried fruits, almonds, gums and skins, local interests
have small grounds for satisfaction. There is a local project for a Company
to be formed to supply agricultural machinery and expert advice, with a
capital of 400,000 rials, but so far none has been imported.
45. Cotton is entirely handled by the Sherket-i-Pashm, Pust va Pambeh,
which supplies seed and has branches in Shiraz, Abadch, Fasa, Darab, Jehrum,
Firuzabad, Kazerun and Mamessani for supervision of sowing and cultiva
tion and purchase of the crops. Ginning plants have been installed in Shiraz,
Kazerun and Fasa. 26,000 hectares were sown in the Iranian year 1316, which
is more than double the previous year. Fars is now third in importance
in Iran as a cotton growing area, after Mazanderan and Khorassan. The
estimated crop was given as 66,000 kharvars (20,000 tons). This has sup
plied the Shiraz and Isfahan mills and a small quantity was shipped from
Bushire to the U. S. S. PL
46. Beetroot was produced in sufficient quantity for the Merv Dasht
refinery. The production of sugar last season was 5,866 tons in two months
working. The area in which beet sowing is compulsory has been reduced,
but it is expected that sufficient will be grown to keep the refinery open
for three months this winter. The quality of the sugar is good and its
price on the market is kept slightly lower than that of imported sugar.
47. The estimated crops of grain last year were :—wheat 100,000 kharvars ;
barley 50,000 kharvars, sesame 4,000 khavars. These figures were not realis
ed. The harvest was taken in slowly and wastefully, as labourers are better
paid for work in cotton and beet fields, in addition to which these are more
paying crops to grow. Rice growing has been prohibited entirely.
48. There is a large production of apricots, grapes and other fruits, which
are exported dried, and of almonds. These are all a monopolv of the
Sherket-i-Khoshkbar.
49. Wool and lambskins are also monopoly products. Production has
diminished in quantity and quality owing to Government interference. The
8herket-i-Pust Narm (Soft Skin Company) seems to have lost the regular
market and local supplies have been sent to Tehran instead of being shipped
abroad as formerly. n
50. Gum Tragacanth is a valuable trade, which is also handled by a sepa
rate monopoly company.
51. Flocks and herds are under the supervision of an Austrian veterinary
surgeon, under the Agricultural Department, who makes periodical tours of
districts where cattle, sheep and goats are bred, in addition to advising the
town slaughter houses.