BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 28
By Fakhri Vakilov - Trend:
Uzbekistan is to launch production of Marlboro cigarettes, Trend reports citing Uzbek media.
The launch ceremony of the licensed production of Marlboro, Parlament and L&M cigarette brands will be held with the assistance of Tashkent Tobacco in early December as part of investment cooperation with Philip Morris International, an American tobacco company.
The event will be attended by Uzbekistan’s Minister of Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov, Deputy Prime Minister Elyor Ganiev and the President - Eastern Europe Region of Philip Morris International Marco Mariotti.
Today, the tobacco market in Uzbekistan is estimated at just over 10 billion smoking units, or about $500 million a year. The majority of smokers (over 70 percent) in the country are between 25 and 54 years old.
Philip Morris International is an American tobacco company and one of the largest cigarette manufacturers in the world.
Until 2008, it was part of the Altria Group, and from March 28, 2008 it became an independent company.
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