TEHRAN,Iran, Feb.12
Trend:
The released statistics by Iran's Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade has indicated a drop of cigarettes export despite rise in production, Trend reports via ISNA.
According to the statistics, a total of 40.2 billion cigarettes have been manufactured domestically in the past 9 months of the current Iranian year (started March 21,2019), which indicates a 19.7 percent increase compared to the preceding year.
Meanwhile, the data also shows that Iran's cigarettes export has decreased by 40 percent and reached 90 million cigarettes. In the preceding year the export stood at 150 million cigarettes.
"The reason for the exports drop is the banking problem and the issue with foreign currency revenues," said Mohammad Reza Tajdar, the head of Tobacco Products Manufacturers Exporters and Importers Association.
Meanwhile, the ministry indicated that smuggling of cigarettes from Iran has dropped by 43.5 percent during the the past nine months, compared to the preceding year.
As far as Iran's tobacco export goes, the country's export has rocketed by 283.2 percent in the first 8 months of the current Iranian year.
"The increase of tobacco export is due to increased cultivation in the current Iranian year (started March 21,2019). The major part of the harvested tobacco has been exported to other countries," said Tajdar.