The tobacco industry is oneof the most profitable industries in the world. A large proportion of Indianeconomy is agro based in which Tobacco is one of the principal cash crops. Thetobacco production and its allied products’ sales in the country have played aprominent role in the development of nation’s economy. India is the largesttobacco market in the world in terms of tobacco consumption.
Popular among rural andurban consumer, smokeless tobacco is also much more popular among woman thansmoking. The smokeless industry in India is highly fragmented - some products arecommercially manufactured but many are made in the home and sold locally.Smokeless tobacco products in India include khaini, gutka, mawa, gudhaku, andzarda. Smokeless tobacco is tobacco or atobacco product that is used by means other than smoking. These uses includechewing, sniffing, placing the product between the teeth and gum, or applicationto the skin.
In a recent Global AdultTobacco Survey, it was reported that khaini is the most commonly used tobaccoproduct in India, followed by gutka. Gutka is the most popular form of chewingtobacco sold in India.