Imports account for 75% of nation’s cigarette consumption

The government’s share of import revenues in this sector is expected to reach $100 billion by yearend (Iranian year falling on March 20, 2007), Taha Taheri stated, indicating that some 10% is smuggled into the country from the factories established in Iraq and southern neighbors.

Increasing and standardizing the production, domestic production in partnership with foreign companies and legalizing importation within current framework are among the plans to be implemented in next two years. “These will hopefully make a dent at Rls.8,500 billion cigarette business in the hands of foreign firms,” he further stipulated.

Iran is the 11th importer of cigarette in the world with annual consumption of 55 billion counts.

ML/RA

END

MNA