Coll 28/39(2) ‘Persia. Printed Correspondence, 1937–’ [‎45v] (90/320)

T
88
The Director of the Finance Department, the local managers of most of the
Monopoly Companies and various of the leading industrialists and notables ac
companied the Governor General ofFars to Tehran recently to take part in discus
sions on future economic developments. It was confidently hoped outside Govern
ment circles that there might be modifications in official policy, but nothing is known
as yet. There will be much satisfaction if the future policy of the Government
allows a greater measure of profit to local interests.
Agriculture —-
Production of all crops is now to a large extent dependent on orders from the
Agricultural Department and on the efforts of Government controlled organisa
tions such as the Sherket-i-Panbeh (Cotton Monopoly Company), Sherket-i-Khoshk-
bar (Dried Fruits Monopoly Company), Sherket-i-Pust Narni (Skin Monopolv
Company), and Sherket-i-Ketirah (gum Monopoly Company).
In general, rain crops have been a failure this year, as there has been no rain
since the beginning of March. It is feared that returns will barely compensate
for seed sown. Estimates of grain crops were as follows :—
Wheat 100,000 kharvars ; barley 50,000 kharvars : sesame 300—400 khar-
vars, of which half might be exported. None of these estimates
have been realised, but exact details of the crops available cannot
be obtained.
Formerly the villagers and tribesmen used to visit Shiraz to barter their agri
cultural and dairy produce for sugar, tea and piece-goods. The foundation of
village co-operative societies is beginning to put an end to this, as these societies
deal directly with the various Monopoly Companies who are more and more getting
control of distribution.
The total area under cultivation in Fars is said to be about 800,000 hectares.
The chief crops are cotton, sugar beet and wheat. Unless extensive irrigation can
be carried out it is doubtful whether much more land can profitably be used. Ex
perts have examined the possibility of sinking artesian wells in various districts,
but for the present irrigation depends on antiquated methods of drawing water
from wells by hand labour or with bullocks. There are also plans under consider-
tion for irrigating the Merv Dasht Plain by a dam at Ramgerd, on the Bandi-i-
Amir River, and for irrigation in the Kazerun districts by a dam on the Shahpur
River.
Cotton .—Last years crop amounted to nearly 6 million kilogrammes, which
was absorbed in the mills of Shiraz and Isfahan. A cotton ginning plant is now
working in Shiraz and others have been installed at Kazerun and at Fasa. The
machinery is American. More is said to have been planted this year, especially
in the Kazerun and Fasa districts, but crop estimates are only given as 15,000 khar
vars (about 5 million kilogrammes). All sowing is under the supervision of the
Sherket-i-Panbeh, which supplies seed, and large advances have been made by
the Agricultural Bank against crops. 20,000 hectares are said to be under cotton
cultivation in Fars. The Company has branches in Shiraz, Abadeh, Fasa, Darab,
Firuzabad, Kazerun and Mamessani. The Company is doing good work in in
creasing the quantity and quality of cotton produced, but their efforts in dis
tributing it have not been so successful. The Shiraz mills complain that
they cannot always get the type of cotton which they require and that too much
is sent to Isfahan.
Sugar frert.—The refinery at Merv Dasht commenced production in the autumn
of 1936. During the first refining season over 40,000 tons of beet were used, all
grown in the neighbourhood. According to statistics published by the Banque
Melli, 1132 hectares were under cultivation in the Iranian year 1314 and 2,500 hec
tares in 1315, producing in all 43,351 tons of beet, which is the largest production
in any district, in Iran with the exception of Shahi in Mazanderan. The refinery
turned out 5,866,516 kilogrammes of sugar from the crop of the two years combined,
which shows a yield of 14-65% of sugar. (The yield ought to be up to 18%, accord
ing to expert calculation). Most of the beet is grown in the Merv Dasht Plain, but
all round Shiraz sugar beet is being sown, as it is found to be a profitable crop. The
factory An East India Company trading post. pays the cultivator 30 dinars per man for his beet.