Tobacco.org

• Dominican cigar industry asks the U.S. Congress to reject new tax 

he head of the Senate’s Farm and Agribusiness Commission asked the Congress to reject a new tax on cigars, as it would “condemn the national tobacco industry."

Amílcar Romero (PLD-Duarte) said a new U.S. tax on cigars would cause losses of over US$100 million for the industry, in addition to the loss of jobs in one of the country’s poorest zones.

He said he stays in touch with ambassador in Washington, Flavio Darío Espinal, to lobby on the Dominican producers’ concern in the U.S. Senate.

The Cigar Producers Association (Procigar) stated their concern to Romero on the Dominican cigars’ future, if the new tax is approved. They said they cultivate in the country’s Cibao and Northwest regions close to 20,000 hectares, which can’t be used for any other type of crop.

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