Tobacco.org

• Tobacco enterprise to punish illegal traders 

The National Tobacco Enterprise (NTE) has announced that it will take severe measure against illegal cigarette distributors and traders in the near future.

When the operation starts it will shut superstores, including small shops who sell illegal products.

The announcement disclosed that currently the enterprise is preparing for the clamp down in collaboration with stakeholders, like customs, police authorities and regional administrations.

The enterprise, which has the exclusive right to produce, import and distribute tobacco in the country said that the illegal trade is affecting its income.

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• National Tobacco Engages in Expansion Project 

The National Tobacco Company is undertaking expansion projects which will enable it to increase its productive capacity by 60%. It has also bought two modernized and computerized machines at a cost of 54 mln birr that will produce 10,000 pieces of cigarettes a minute and 7.5 mln a day. Formerly it had produced over 3 mln cigarettes a day.

In addition to the above machines, it has bought cigarette transfer machines at a cost of 6 mln birr and a filtering machine worth 7.8 mln birr.

At a press conference held on Thursday, W/ro Tiruwork Woldehanna, marketing and sales manager, said that currently the demand for tobacco is 4.4 bln pieces and from this National Tobacco has a capability of covering 2.6 bln cigarettes or 53%. 4.6% is imported and 42% enters the country through contraband means. This means contraband trade covered the greatest amount next to those produced legally. As a result, the enterprise has introduced a new brand, "delight" cigarette, that will help to reduce contraband ones.

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