SWABI: The Swabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry has demanded provision of incentives to the growers to help them enhance the production of tobacco whose export earns the government about $25 million in foreign exchange each year.

Sources in the chamber told Dawn on Monday that the tobacco trade was one of the top profit-earning businesses in the Swabi district. They said small cigarette manufacturers also paid huge taxes to the federal and provincial governments in terms of sales tax and other levies. In addition, a number of people worked in these units to earn their livelihood.

They said tobacco was a self-employed field for millions of families in Swabi, Mardan, Mansehra, Charsadda, Buner and Swat. The sources said leading politicians of Swabi were associated with tobacco trade.

They said members of the Swabi Chamber under the guidance of president Shiraz Akram Bacha were working on a plan to boost the industrial sector. They said the chamber also planned to initiate a programme named “Made in Swabi” to help the growers market their products at one place.

In a separate development, MPA Rangiaz Khan said on Monday that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government had provided funds for construction of roads in Gadoon Estate and resolving the problems of the industrialists. Speaking at a meeting here, he said the government had been working on a plan to boost the industrial sector.

Meanwhile, the food department sealed a bakery for producing substandard products on Monday.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2021