Iran Cigarette Output Up 10%

Iran produced 30.53 billion cigarettes during the eight months of the current fiscal year (started March 21), indicating a 10% rise year-on-year, the head of Tobacco Planning and Supervision Center said. Noting that cigarette imports reduced by 43% to stand at 1.97 billion during the period, Ali Asghar Ramzi added that imports are predicted to be cut by 50% in the current Iranian year (March 2017-18) year-on-year to reach 2 billion, IRNA reported. “The export of cigarettes stood at 180 million over the period, 21 million more than last year’s same period while hookah tobacco exports hovered around 130 tons, registering a 218% rise YOY.” Ramzi estimated that 4.34 billion cigarettes were smuggled into Iran during the period, 23% fewer than last year’s corresponding period.