The government of Azerbaijan has approved a five-year program for the development of tobacco production, reports AzerNews.
Speaking at a conference, President Ilham Aliyev called for an increase in domestic cigarette production. “Over 10 billion cigarettes are consumed in Azerbaijan,” he said. “Of these, only 1.6 billion are produced in Azerbaijan.”
“To supply the domestic market and, more importantly, obtain access to foreign markets, we must soon achieve the development of cigarette production in Azerbaijan,” said Aliyev. “First of all, the domestic market should not depend on imports, so that the currency does not leave the country. After that we will also deal with exports.”
The head of state also ordered to double the tobacco acreage to 6,000 ha by 2021.
Aliyev acknowledged the health risks of smoking and stressed that “appropriate measures” would be taken to ensure that the people of Azerbaijan gradually give up this habit.
Azeri tobacco production peaked in 1978, when farmers cultivated 18,000 ha. By 2014, the figure was down to 1,000 ha, but it has slightly recovered since.