Tenfold Rise in Tobacco Exports

Iran exported 799 tons of tobacco during the five months to Aug. 22, registering a 955.5% rise compared with the corresponding period of last year.  
Twenty cigarette and 38 tobacco manufacturing facilities were active in Iran during the five-month period compared with 18 cigarette and 30 tobacco manufacturing factories operating in the last year’s same period, data provided by the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade show 
A total of 22.6 billion cigarettes were produced in Iran during the five months, registering a 41.3% growth compared with the corresponding period of last year, ISNA reported. 
Cigarette exports stood at 25 million during the same period, indicating an 83.3% decline amounting to 150 million cigarettes in the corresponding period of last year.
No official imports were made during the five months. However, the Industries Ministry estimates that 4.51 billion cigarettes were smuggled into the country during the period, indicating a 59.8% decline year-on-year. 
Iranians smoked 27.8 billion cigarettes during the period under review.