BAT Uzbekistan increases cigarette production by 24.8%

The venture’s exports rose by 32.6% year-on-year to 311.2 million units. Sales in internal market of Uzbekistan rose by 26.3% to 5.675 billion units.

The enterprise increased production of cigarettes by 19.8% to 10.46 billion units and exports rose by 31.2% to 594.6 million units.

British American Tobacco (BAT) acquired 51% share at Uztabak (Uzbek Tobacco) and created UzBAT (now BAT Uzbekistan). The charter capital of the venture is US$247.4 million. BAT holds now 97.35% shares in the enterprises, the State Property Committee holds 2.25% shares and labour owns 0.4% shares.

Total investment programme of BAT Uzbekistan comprises US$292 million, including US$100 million is the cost of cigarette plant in Samarkand in 1997. The capacity of the plant is 12 billion cigarettes a year.