Ext 5000/41(8) 'Persian situation: miscellaneous reports on wheat situation' [‎259r] (517/560)

Copy
( h) 2552/48/34)
CROP COLLECTIONS 1943-44 AND CONTINUANCE, OP THh C.L.O. SCH
1. I have just returned from an extensive tour of the Coutnern ui |
areas where I have discussed the crop situation with Consuls ox*
C.L.Os in Sultanabad, Ahwaki, Bushire, Shiraz, Isfahan and Kerman.
The time has come to take stock of the situation with a view ^
to next year 1 s operations. e are, of course, criticised lor .
contravening the tcras of tne Treaty and interfering in this
matter., and on the other hand are blamed for not interfering
enough, but as 2ar as I have been able to gatner the political
effect of the C.L.Os work has on trie v/Yfole been re ib
however no doubt tnat we are considered partly responsible lor
the complete failure to collect this year’s harvest, and if,
as seems only too likely, next year’s crop is similarly mismanaged,
we snail be more seriously criticised and shall be unable really |
to help unless the G.L.Os have very definite authority and unless
the policy adopted is one of which we approve. \e nave three
alternatives: (a) to hand over the organisation entirely to tne I
Ministry of Supply if they will accept it; (b) to continue as at J
present eitner" indefinitely or for a limited period; and (c) . ,
to liquidate the scheme. ' e must, I think, considei* these ;
alternatives in relation to the policy which may be adopted by j
the Persian Government.
2. It is out of the question to expect that any radical change j
in the present system can be introduced this year as this would
require a thought out scheme and probably legislation as well as
the setting up of a new organisation to administer it. It seems,
therefore, that the Persian Government has only three alternatives:
(a) to remove all Government control and allow all transactions
to be carried out freely through out the country;
(b) to continue this year’s nominal policy of controlling
the whole crop and buying only by Government at Government price
both from landlords and peasants; and
(c) to revert to the previous system of concentrating only
on landlords’ undertakings and leaving the rest of the market free.
3. As regards (a), Government control of any sort, especially
in a country such aL Persia, is a burdensome imposition, and
should be avoided as far as po;tible, but all opinion which I
have consulted is agreed that it is not possible to remove ail
Government conti'ol over wheat and barley in spite of the
expectations of a bumper harvest, as th power of profiteers
and speculators Is too great.
4. As regards (b) , it is now abundantly clear that Sheridan’s
attempt to control the whole harvest has been a more disastrous
failure than was anticipated by <ven the most pessimistic
observer. It has, in fact, bten a mei%**farc0. That Sheridan
himself has at last realised this has been shown by the recent
circular which he has sent round saying that all previous
instructions are cancelled and ordering local authorities to
concentrate purely on the collection of undertakings from
landlords. The Anti-Hoarding law, of which such high hopes were
entertained, has proved a farce, as holders of stocks were quick
to divide and conceal their hoards and Government have proved
without exception unwilling to take any steps whatever against
even the most blatant offences in the matter of w r heat. The
whole policy has in fact been vitiated ab init io by the fact
that in spite of Government’s so-called monopoly permits to buy
on the black market have all along been fre«. ly given to certain
areas/