British American Tobacco expands production in Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A meeting was held at the Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the General Prosecutor’s Office of Uzbekistan with representatives of British American Tobacco Uzbekistan, attended by the department’s leadership, the Inspectorate for Regulation of the Alcohol and Tobacco Market, and business representatives.

During the discussions, it was noted that the company has created more than 1,000 jobs in the country, established cooperation with over 18,000 retail outlets, and attracted US$530 million in investments. The company’s export volume reached US$95 million.

The parties also reported a decline in the share of illicit tobacco turnover in the country from 22.4% to 7%, which was described as a significant result of efforts to legalize the market and strengthen regulatory enforcement.

The meeting reviewed plans for further modernization of production facilities, the launch of new product lines, and the expansion of export markets.

Discussions also covered strengthening cooperation with local agricultural supply chains and promoting fair competition in the market.

The parties paid attention to measures aimed at reducing the shadow economy, expanding legal trade in tobacco products, and further improving the regulatory and institutional framework of the sector.