No Smoke from Tobacco Exported to Belarus

During the first 9 months of this year there were exported 2 782.4 tons of raw tobacco, of which about 1,660 tons (or more than 59%) accounted for Belarus, the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan said. However, the statistical office of the country noted that during this period Belarus did not receive Azerbaijani tobacco.

For three quarters of this year Belarus imported 686 tons of tobacco waste costing $ 171 200. The only supplier of this raw material was France. Azerbaijan also claims that the destination of 1 660 tons of tobacco worth $ 7,488,100 was Belarus.

It is noteworthy that data on the sale from our country to Belarus are also not the same. According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, in 2013 the Azerbaijani tobacco growers supplied to Belarus 1,275.4 tons of the raw materials, which is 496.2 tons more than in the previous year (779.2 tons). Expected revenues from the export of tobacco were respectively $ 5.619 million and $ 3,443 300. The Belarusian side also notes reception at its customs of a total of 258 tons of raw tobacco from Azerbaijan worth $ 775 200 in 2012-2013. The difference in weight terms is up to 8 times.

Azerbaijani tobacco is also bought by companies of Russia. During the first 9 months of this year, exports of tobacco from Azerbaijan to Russia amounted to 1,106.9 tons, totaling more than $ 2 million.

It is noteworthy that in the first ten months of this year, tobacco production in Azerbaijan decreased from 3 265 tons (in the first 10 months of 2013) to 2,712.2 tons. According to SSC, the country’s tobacco factories fermented 2 232.1 tons, which is 52% more than in the first 10 months of last year. Moreover, the production of tobacco products during this period doubled and made over AZN 20 million in monetary terms.

Note that this year Azerbaijan purchased raw tobacco in India (398 tons), Iraq (68.7 tons), Lebanon (672.8 tons), Turkey (37.8 tons) and Iran (10.2 tons). It totaled $ 594 100, according to the declared figures.

Licenses for the production of tobacco products in Azerbaijan are available at European Tobacco-Baku Ltd. and Cahan Tobacco (Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic). --08B--