Iran’s tobacco exports hit record high with 10-fold surge since March
Iran’s ministry of industries and trade (MIMT) says exports of tobacco from the country have increased by nearly 10 times in the five-month period beginning late March 2019.
A Thursday report by the IRIB News cited recent MIMT statistics showing that tobacco exports had hit a record high of 799 tons (over 880 American tons) until September, an increase of 955.5 percent compared to the same period in 2018 when Iran exported only 75.5 tons of tobacco to other countries.
Cigarette exports declined 83.3 percent, however, as sales to other countries stood at 25 million cigarettes, or 1.25 million packs of 20, down from 150 million in the five-month period last year.
The report said exports of traditional and flavored tobacco, used in hookah pipes, were also down 53.2 and 78 percent respectively.
Imports for flavored tobacco declined by 65.8 percent with just over a half a ton of shipments arriving in the country, down from more than one and a half tons recorded between March and September 2018.
Like the previous year, the customs offices continued to report zero imports for cigarettes.
The ministry of commerce said a total of 20 factories across Iran were producing cigarettes and 38 others exclusively processed tobacco.
The data comes amid a major shift in the pattern for licensed production and import of foreign brands of cigarettes in Iran, a country of 83 million where 15 to 20 percent of people smoke more than 60 billion cigarettes, or three billion packs of 20, each year.
Declining exports and zero imports for cigarettes reported over the past two years suggest smokers in Iran have lost their old appetite for expensive foreign brands and are instead opting for domestic products that go through stricter health and safety controls.
Iran reports slight increase in mining sector exports in April-October
Immunity of Iran’s shipping industry to illegal sanctions
Iran parliament committee approves to lower car import tariffs
VIDEO | New Delhi chokes under toxic smog as air quality remains at hazardous levels
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
VIDEO | ICC's arrest warrant for Netanyahu to worry Western politicians: Former British diplomat
Iranians protest against Israel after Netanyahu ICC warrant
Germany undecided on complying with ICC arrest warrants for Israeli war criminals
VIDEO | Former FBI agent criticizes US Congress for 'outright corruption'
IRGC chief urges Muslim countries to cut aid routes to Israel
'New chapter in cooperation': Iran, Venezuela sign new MoUs
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
