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Agriculture Ministry incentives on tobacco farming, Premier wants tobacco-free Bangladesh!

The Prime Minister has declared for a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040 next. To reach the goal, the Health Ministry has formulated a draft tobacco farming control policy where the Ministry for Agriculture is one of the key implementing stakeholders. Yet, the Agriculture Ministry has decided to issue a proposal to reduce the existing 10% export duty from tobacco leaf to the National Board of Revenue (NBR). The decision to issue the letter was taken after the requests of the tobacco company representatives at the Agriculture Pricing Advisory Committees meeting of 2015-16 about the selection of minimum price for tobacco held in March 13, 2016 with the chair of Agriculture Secretary. Though the meeting was intended to discuss about the minimum price of tobacco, the discussions were expanded to the ways of increasing tobacco export, increasing tobacco production, training tobacco growers, possible ways to expand assistance of the existing tobacco companies etc. The meeting was participated by British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) representatives, Dhaka Tobacco representatives, representatives from relevant ministries/ organizations among others. Anti-tobacco platforms point that such decisions from the Agriculture Ministry is against the directives of the Premier and representation of the government’s dual standard. As a result, tobacco farming will rise in the country, food security will come under threat and the environment and ecology will also be risky as well. Notably, to reduce tobacco farming on arable lands, in the budget of 2010-11 fiscal years a 10% export duty was imposed. With the intervention of the Agriculture Minister, the export tax in 201-12 fiscal years was reduced to 5%. Later, the tax has been reset to 10% again from 2012- 13 fiscal years.

Moreover, decision was taken to distribute 20 thousand leaflets containing the least price of tobacco products among the farmer level with the financial assistance of the tobacco companies. About 40 such festoons in 20 open tobacco trading markets were displayed with the sponsorship of Rangpur Tobacco Traders’ Association in Rangpur region. In reality, tobacco growing farmers will be more inspired on such issue. The government also sets prices for other agro products like rice etc. but those are not publicized in this manner.

According to the meeting minute, it is known that a research titled – ‘Impacts of Tobacco Farming in Bangladesh’ has been completed. Decision was also taken that a Sub-Committee formed to review the research report to formulate compliance guideline within 3 months. Actually, the research and guideline is formulated for ensuring production of the tobacco companies.

The meeting also directed the tobacco companies to apply modern farming methods and high yielding variety (HYV) to produce and control tobacco without expanding the farming on lands. It proves the flexibility of the Agriculture Ministry in favor of the tobacco farming. Continuity of such backings and incentives in tobacco farming will hamper tobacco control.