‘File 28/42 Persian Gulf War Trade Bureau Reports’ [‎15r] (29/194)

Marzook* Karachi, gives some idea about the present day business
conditions in Basrah *-
H I arrived Basrah a week ago and had a mind to proceed on to
the north, but have been detained here for six days in
studying the market and other business conditions locally*
Matches* The rate has improved than before* i-t is Dinars
15/- for a case of matches containing 40 sticks per box and
I.D^ 20/21 for that of 60 sticks.
Oil* Oil had arrived through Kings and is selling @ 270/-
per maund since there is no tax on oil* Oil comes from -india,
but how ? I cannot say* its export in tins is prohibited,
but you can ship a quantity in joint account to Dubai in
wooden drums ? At Dubai it can be filled in empty tins* Or
if possible ship it direct to Basrah and it can be filled in
empty tins here at the time of delivery* The duty on it is
fils l/- per kilo only.
Dates. The committee is expected to ask the monopolists to
raise the price of the last year by 50#. It is doubtful
whether Govt, will allow export as usual. The total produce
of Iraq is about 3 , 000,000 maunds. The monopolists need about
1 , 000,000 mds.while more than a quarter of the whole produce
is consumed locally in Iraq. It is therefore open to question
whether any of the remaining quantity will be allowed tu be
exported. Zahdi (dates) was sold the other day @ 32/- Dinars
and shipped to mo hammer ah ♦
Oil , More oil arrived after Kings and was sold @ 240/-. The
demand still exists.
X X x x x
X XXX
C* BAHRAI N *
Scarcity of tyres and position with regard to stock of scrap-
iron in Bahrain - The following extract from a letter dated
7.7.42 from Abdul Tayeb Sarafally, Bahrain, to Koorbhai Allibhoy
Malai, Karachi, explains the positions t-
’’As for the motor tyres, for which you had asked me to
inquire in Bahrain, please note that I have made every
effort to find some but no one has any stock of tyres here,
are making the best use of whatever stock they hold, so
much so that they even use their worn out tyres after due
repairs. Bo mmch of your scrap-iron is lying here. Most
of the stock would be sold out, if soneone from you person
ally came to this side and saw to its sale, because this is
easily saleable here."
XX XX
E* DUBAI. 1 2
1 , Trade conditions - in his letter dated 8.7.1942 addressed
to Ravishanker T. Trivedi, Kathiawar, Ravishanker ftarainji
Trivedi, Dubai, described the trade condition of that place as
follows t- J
*At present the market is dull, kurther there is no aemana
from Bunder Abbas as plenty of goods have reached there.
Moreover, as the lorries which used to transport goods to
the upper part are at present engaged in transporting
government goods $ there is no trade but the market is
still, very strong *••• Since 2 days the Shaikh has
penuitted to export 2,000 gunnies to uuttar and hence the
market rate of rice has gone high.**
2. Miscellaneous *
( a ) Brandy - attempt to smu^Kle to Dubai through Muscat -
The following extract from a letter dated 13.7.42 from Bahman
Ardeshir Kaghighat, Karachi, to'Abdul^iahr Shahverzi, Muscat, is
interesting i-
M You should also try and obtain a permit from the Customs
Officer or from the shaikh About Hennessy brandy, please
do not send it by steamer but either by a country hoat or
/ through