14G THE DATE PALM. 



From the data in Tables XXII to XXV, there are apparently 

 40,000 to 45,000 tons approximately of date-fruits annually 

 imported into India by sea in addition to those grown in India 

 and imported by land routes. The elates imported by sea arrive 

 all the year round but October, November, and December are the 

 chief months of import. The bulk of the fiuits come from Persia 

 including the Persian Gulf, Arabia, and Asiatic Turkey. Very 

 few fruits come to India from Egypt and North Africa. Over 

 trds of the imports are landed at Bombay ; about J at Karachi 

 and the remainder at the other Indian ports. 



In reply to my enquiries, the Director-General of the Com- 

 mercial Intelligence Department, India, writes : " According to 

 the provisions of the Indian Sea Customs Act the value of goods 

 imported or exported represent (1) the wholesale cash price, 

 less trade discount for which goods of the like kind and quality 

 are sold or are capable of being sold at the time and place of 

 importation or exportation as the case may be without any 

 abatement or deduction whatever (except in the case of goods 

 imported) of the amount of duties payable on the importation 

 thereof ; or (2) where such price is not ascertainable, the cost 

 at which goods of the like kind and quality could be delivered 

 at such places without any abatement or deduction except as 

 aforesaid." 



The prices of dates vary of course according to the quality 

 of the fruits, but they vary much more according to the way they 

 are packed and the purposes for which they are to be used (see 

 page 115, para. 86). The dates imported into India are all of 

 fairly good quality. They are classified under the following 

 three heads in the import tariff schedule : (1) dates, dry, in bags ; 

 (2) dates, wet, in bags, baskets and bundles, and (3) dates, wet ; 

 in pots, boxes and crates. Therefore there is no detailed 

 information in the trade returns as to the amounts which are 

 packed in small fancy boxes for dessert or sweetmeat purposes. 

 I am told, however, that the amount packecl for these purposes 

 is negligible so the prices quoted in these returns will represent 

 approximately the wholesale prices of dates which have been 



