Coll 30/9(2) 'Admin. Reports of the Persian Gulf - 1945 -' [‎550r] (1099/1148)

Post war
17-20 10-50
7
Germaiiy. So far, however, there has been no difficulty. The products of the
mill are too expensive tor the local market, and are sold chiefly in Shiraz.
r our English experts have been in charge of the technical working of the
mill throughout the year. The other employees number about 450.
inanee. J he demand tor credit required for customs and forwarding
rP'PS has vuriorl IVrwrvi -I . 0
- , .. — — — — ^ccn holding up goods m me
cxp( c a ion o a i ise in prices, and towards the end of the year large quantities
of tea weie c eared and are said to have been retained in Tehran for speculation
in ns ^av. At the same time the purchase of foreign exchange through ; B
L ’ ailC !- i aC °T!m been increasi ug. It may be expected that Bushire’s
compai a ^ et> smajj black bourse ’ ’ transactions will diminish still further as
a icsult of J, ecembei s law, which was introduced in order to meet the increased
demand loi loieign exchange. The price of foreign exchange has risen with
the demand, ana by the end oi the year to pound sterling was worth 180 or 200
Kials.
1 he inteiest rates of the Imperial Bank of Iran and the Banque Mellie were
the same as last year.
Agriculture. The wheat and barley crops were good and sale was less
icstiicted than last year. The price of wheat was controlled as usual ; grain
ot inferior quality was bought by the Government, which discounts of 15 per
cent, of the weight for adulteration, at Rials 140 for 300 kilos, and sold at Rials
200. The poor quality ot this wheat made it necessary for bakers in Bushire to
mix with it wheat illicitly bought from private dealers.
The price of barley was not controlled ; it is used only for export, and, locally
for animals.
Dates are produced at Borazjun and neighbourhood in small quantities ;
most aie sent inland rather than to Bushire, which generally obtains all its needs
from Khorramshahr. The price is uncontrolled, and has been about Rials
6-25 for 12 lbs.
Smuggling .—Smuggling is said to have decreased since the outbreak of
war, owing to lack of supplies on the Arab Coast.
11 ages and Cost of Living .—As shown by the following Tables there has
been a rise both in the average rates of wages and in the cost of living since
1938. At the outbreak of war, prices of articles other than food-stuffs rose by
as much as 50 per cent. Certain articles, such as cement and iron, ceased for
a time to be obtainable at all.
One explanation for the recent increase in the cost of monopoly sugar may
be that there is now loss danger of competition from smuggled sugar.
Wages : Rials a day :—
Customs coolie A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. .
1938.
. 3
1939.
5-50
Labourer .
. 4-50
4-50—6.
Cotton operator .
. 2-50—6
7
Skilled builder
. 20
30
Semi skilled builder
. 10
12
Builder’s foreman
. 6-50
8
Carpenter .
. 12-15
14-20.
eor>^*
C y -TO f / * 1 •
Foodstuffs : Rials :—
Per man of 7-75 lbs.
Each Sugar 500 gr.
—
Flour.
Meat.
Ghi.
Tomatoes. Potatoes.
Rice.
Bread
(local).
Bread
loaf.
Crystal. Loaf.
3 kilos.
Tea.
1938
3-50—4
8—9-60
38
4-10—4-50 4
8-25—10
31-41
21—3
8-75 7-75
20
1939
2-20
9-60
38-50
4—5 3-10—6
11-50
3—3-50
3
9-25 8-25
22