The export of Grand Tobacco and International Masis Tabak companies making part of Grand Holding increased around 3-fold against 2012 having made USD 40.6mln (AMD 377.9 thousand boxes of cigarette against 130.2 thousand boxes exported in 2011), President of Grand Holding Hrant Vardanyan said this today.

The cigarette export in Armenia made 272.9 thousand boxes as of the same period.

Summing up the results of the holding's activity for 2012, Hrant Vardanyan said that the production of Grand Tobacco and International Masis Tabak was  exported to 22 countries in 2012.

''Over 2008-2012, the capital investments of the holding made USD 51.56mln, USD12mln being made in 2012. "Armtobacco" produced 12bln items of cigarettes in late 1980-s  which was the highest index registered in Soviet Armenia, whereas the two companies within Grand Holding produced 17bln items of cigarette in 2012", said Hrant Vardanyan adding that in mid 2014, the holding's annual production capacity will make already 35bln items of filtered cigarette meeting international standards and at least 30bln will be exported.

Hrant Vardanyan called the gradual decrease in Grand Holding's share on the Armenian market (around 50%) linked to shifting to equal taxing regime for tobacco producers and importers natural.
 
"As a result of tax changes, we lost the cheap segments and it's natural that the market share in Armenia decreases and will keep decreasing", said Hrant Vardanyan adding that only a little share of the company's production is consumed on the domestic market and it doesn't considerably affect the company's growing the production volumes simultaneously.