being passed only by Madras (total trade 1,406 lakhs), Tuticorin (388 lakhs), Cochin (320 lakhs) and Calicut (192 lakhs) — and the twelfth place among the ports of British India.1[1] The trade has naturally varied considerably in different years; but in only three out of the 27 immediately preceding 1902-03 did it rise above 200 lakhs in total value. These were 1889-90 (201 lakhs), 1896-97 (216 lakhs) and 1892-93 (239 lakhs). In 1878-79 it fell below 75 lakhs, but in no other year was the figure less than 100 lakhs. In 1903-04 the imports were valued at Rs. 38,73,000 and the exports at Rs. 1,67,31,000, making a total of Rs. 2,06,04,000. The exports have always been largely in excess of the imports. The proportion in 1903-04 is fairly typical of other years.
In that year, out of a total export trade of 167 lakhs, goods to the value of 84 lakhs were sent to ports outside India (including Burma) and the rest to Indian ports; of the latter, II lakhs went to the ports of this Presidency. The foreign export trade has generally been equal to or larger than the Indian export trade, and often much larger. The trade with the rest of the Presidency has always been small, and it has very largely decreased in the last seven years, probably owing to the competition of the railway.
In 1903-04 the foreign imports made up rather more than half of the total import trade; but the figures of that year are rather exceptional, as the imports from abroad are usually nothing like so large as those from India and Burma. In former years the imports from other ports in this Presidency were considerable and averaged in value about one quarter of the total imports; but, like the exports to other places in the Presidency, they have much decreased in the last six years.
Of a total foreign export trade in 1903-04 of Rs. 84,04,000, the exports of cotton were valued at Rs. 33,93,000; of rice and paddy (chiefly the latter) at Rs. 29,90,000; and of oil-seeds (castor and gingelly) at Rs. 9,25,000. Thus these commodities made up 73 out of the total of 84 lakhs. Food-grains accounted for Rs. 2,02,000, oil-cake for Rs. 1,69,000, fibre2[2] for brushes for Rs. 1,56,000, and castor oil for Rs. 97,000. The cotton is chiefly sent to France (Rs. 9,06,000), Holland (Rs. 6,42,000) and Britain (Rs. 3,32,000) as well as to several other European countries and Japan. Rice and paddy is
- ↑ 1 The larger ports outside this Presidency were Bombay (11,172 lakhs), Calcutta (10,381 lakhs), Rangoon (2,868 lakhs), Karáchi (1,929 lakhs), Moulmein (440 lakhs Chittagong (283 lakhs) and Akyab (240 lakhs).
- ↑ 2 Chiefly palmyra fibre extracted from the thick stem of the leaf. This item has much increased in the last year or two.
