Trade

Trade

The principal products of Dir and Swat are ghi , rice , timber , pulses ,hides , wheat , barley , walnuts , sheep , goats , wool and spices . Those of Bajour are similar ,but less rice is produced than in Dir and Seawt . The Utman Khel country produces little but ghi , hides , cattle and charcoal .

Much of the food stuffs gown in the country are disposed of in the country itself , but there is still a considerable surplus over and above local requirements . The trade both in imports into the country from India and exports from this country into India is growing larger year by year . This has now reached very large proportions , as the following figures will show . In former years a considerable amount of trade passed through this country between India , Badakhshan and Central Asia . This owing to the restrictions imposed upon it by the Amir of Kabul in Badakhshan and Wahkan , is at present practically nil .

The chief articles of export into India from Dir , Swat and Bajour are ghi [amounting last year , 1899-1900 , to a value of 17`1/2 lacs ] , rice [16 lacs ] , pulses [ over 3 lacs ] , hides [3`1/2 lacs ] , wheat , barley , ealnuts , sheep and goats , wool and spices . The total value of exports amounted last year [1899-1900] to Rs.47,98,405 . This did not include timber , of which a very large quantity passes annually by the Swat and Panjkora rivers into India .

The principal articles of export into this country from India are cotton goods [ of which the value of imports last year amounted to over 46 lacs ], raw cotton and thread [ 7 lacs ] , salt [10 lacs ] ,dyes , sugar , tobacco , tea , metals , kerosine oil spices , horses and mules . The total value of imports last year amounted to no less tan Rs.75,35,423 .

The total value of imports and exports last year ,1899-1900, was Rs.1,23,33,828 . The attached statement will show the large increase which has kaken place , from the total of Rs.35,89,659 of 1893-94 to the present time . Part of this increase is doubtless more apparent than real , because the registration of trade in former years was not so carefully carried out as it is now . The figures , however , of the past few years scffice to show how large an increase in reality has taken place  . This is due not only to the increased security of the trade routes under our management , but to the abolition of the tolls which used to be taken in Dir and Swat by all who had the power to do so . There is every prospect moreover of a steady increase in the value of trade with this country in the future . The recent opening of the raiway from Nowshera to Dargai [ January 1^st , 1901 ] will do much to promote  this trade .

Value of imports into       Value of exports from     Total value of

The Panjab from Dir ,          the Panjab into Dir,        imports and

Swat and Bajour                   Swat and Chitral            exports

Year

	Rs.	Rs.	Rs.
1893-94	14,69,962	21,19,697	35,89,659
1894-95	19,18,360	27,72,210	46,90,570
1895-96	13,29,105	22,12,007	35,41,112
1896-97	38,28,772	46,14,575	84,43,347
1897-98	24,78,935	32,32,383	57,11,318
1898-99	31,00,717	42,63,750	73,64,467
1899-1900	47,98,405	75,35,423	1,23,33,828

The trade carriers are chiefly Khattaks and Parachas. The former bring salt from the Kohat salt mines and barter it for local products which they bring back to India . The pack animals used by them are chiefly bullocks and donkeys and less seldom camels . Paracha ,a term originally expressing a peddler or small trader , is the name given to a class of professional carriers , most of whom have come originally from Hazara and have settled in this country . They chiefly use mules , of which they have a large number , many of excellent quality .

As mentioned above , these trade returns do not include the value of the timber which leaves the country .The timber trade in Dir and Swat is very extensive . There are magnificent forests of big deodar in both Dir and Swat Kohistans . These are floated by the summer floods down the Swat and Panjkora rivers into Abazai and Nowshera .

The whole of the trade was in former times in the hands of the Kaka Khels of Ziarat Kaka Sahib near Noshera . Their religious status enabled them to move freely about these countries and to make favourable bargains with the super-stitious hill men . Unfortunately they were not content with even the large profits made under these conditions . They began to add to them by not complying with their obligations to the people , and by endeavouring to obtain by political intrigue and influence , timber without any payment at all . The rulers of the country were persuaded to give trees either as a gift or at some nominal sum such as Rs . 1 per cut tree . These were cut by forced labour high up on the mountain sides . Many more trees had to be felled to allow them to reach the stream below , which in turn found their way to the water . On reaching the Peshawar district these logs fetch a larg price , some as much as Rs. 50 and Rs. 60 each .The profits of the trade under these conditions , as may be supposed , were considerable .

The business methods of the Kaka Khel , however , led to measures being taken to restrict their timber transactions with the people . They are at present prohibited from dealing with Swat at all , and such purchases of timber as are now made in Dir are subject to official approval and restrictions .