WOOL 



Trade 



WOOL AND PASHM 



Imports. 



Persia. 

 Mekran. 



Sonmidni. 



Kirmani Wool. 



Manufac- 

 tures. 



Imports. 



Shawls and 

 Carpets. 



Piece Goods. 



portance with. Bombay in the export of wool, the two ports between 

 them having taken close on 33 million pounds out of the 45 millions 

 exported in 1906-7. An inspection of the railborne traffic reveals the 

 interesting fact that while the Bombay portion of the exports is drawn 

 from the Bombay Presidency (Kajputana and Central India mainly), that 

 of Karachi is drained from the Panjab and Sind. 



Foreign Imports. The demand for foreign raw wool may be accepted 

 as contributing toward the higher class woollen goods, both hand- and 

 power -loom, though in the former case the foreign wool appears to be 

 largely employed as an adulterant or even a substitute for the more ex- 

 pensive pashm. In 1896-7 the imports were returned at 4,725,899 lb., 

 valued at Rs. 14,02,284 ; in 1898-9 they were 3,283,905 lb. ; in 1900-1, 

 2,871,319 lb. ; in 1902-3, 2,756,071 lb. ; in 1904-5, 2,117,734 lb ; in 

 1905-6, 2,908,036 lb., valued at Rs. 9,18,395 ; and in 1906-7, 2,451,237 lb., 

 valued at Rs. 8,64,505. Practically the whole of these imports are drawn 

 from Persia, with smaller quantities from Mekran and Sonmiani, and are 

 imported into Bombay and Karachi, a fair portion being thence carried 

 by rail to the Panjab and the United Provinces. The traffic by sea would 

 seem to have improved steadily up to 1896-7, since which date it might 

 be described as having declined. In 1876-7 the imports of raw wool 

 were valued at Rs. 5,32,116; fifteen years later (1890-1) they stood at 

 Rs. 11,56,154, and attained their maximum five years later still (1896-7), 

 but have ever since almost steadily declined. Against this shrinking 

 demand, however, for foreign wools (brought by sea) has to be placed 

 the expansion of the Trans-frontier traffic already dealt with, especially 

 that across the north-western frontier, which may be regarded as bringing 

 Kirmani wools to India by land routes, to some extent doubtless an ex- 

 pression of increased railway facilities within India itself. [Cf. Kermanshah 

 Wool, in Dipl and Cons. Rept., 1903-4, ii., No. 3189, 25-7.] 



MANUFACTURED WOOL. Imports. The encouraging conception 

 of the Indian woollen industries receives a somewhat severe set-back by 

 an inspection of the foreign traffic. It is not possible to give the returns in 

 pounds, since most of the articles are sold by number or by the yard. The 

 value may, however, be accepted as a sufficiently satisfactory standard. 

 In 1896-7 the IMPQRTS of woollen manufactures were valued at 

 Rs. 1,69,24,447 ; in 1898-9 at Rs. 1,52,37,310 ; 1900-1 at Rs. 2,11,25,756 ; 

 1902-3 at Rs. 1,40,59,122 ; 1904-5 at Rs. 3,07,64,281 ; 1905-6 at 

 Rs. 2,42,51,878 ; and in 1906-7, Rs. 2,05,21,666. Thus in the past eleven 

 years the imports of manufactured wool have expanded from a valuation 

 of 1,128,296 in 1898-9 to 1,368,111 in 1906-7, but if the study be 

 carried still further back, the expansion becomes more marked. In 

 1876-7 the imports of woollen goods came to only 541,101, whereas the 

 highest record during the past thirty years was in 1904-5, when the supply 

 drawn from abroad by sea was valued at 2,050,952. The Indian mills 

 are thus seen to be securing but a small portion of India's demand for 

 European manufactured woollen goods. But by way of contrast, it 

 may be here mentioned that the exports of Indian woollen goods (mostly 

 Oriental carpets and shawls) rarely exceed 120,000. 



Turning now to the nature of the imports and countries of supply, 

 the chief item is " piece goods." Out of the total of Rs. 2,05,21,666, the 

 share taken by piece goods alone came to Rs. 1,39,52,624. Of that amount 

 the United Kingdom supplied Rs. 1,03,31,105 and Germany Rs. 26,76,231. 



1130 



