</strong>China Tobacco Industry Keeps Steady Development in First Three Months</strong>

Source from:  TobaccoChina Online 05/23/2013

The tobacco industry of China, registered balanced growth of both cigarette production and sales in first 3 months in 2013, with the increment of brands value, and with key brands going up steadily.

The tobacco industry registered higher inventory compared with same period last year. The increase of sales volume and profits has slowed down compared with same period last year.
 
Cigarette Production

During January to March 2013, China’s tobacco industry produced 716.35 billion cigarettes (14.327 million cases) for domestic sales, an increase of 0.03 percent over the same period 2012, and sold 738.6 billion cigarettes (14.772 million cases) for domestic sales, an increase of 0.7 percent over the same period 2012. Tobacco industry generated 397.5 billion Yuan in commercial sales, an increase of 8.9 percent over the same period 2012. 

Grade one, 2 and 3 registered a higher sales volume at the first 3 months; sales of the Grade one, 2 and 3 increased by 14.8%、12.8%, and 5.7% respectively, the Grade one accounted to 20 percent of total sales volume in China’s tobacco industry, increased by 2.5 percent year-on-year. The total sales volume of first three grades cigarettes accounted to 76.9 percent in total sales volume of China’s tobacco industry, increased by 5.6 percent year-on-year.

Cigarette Inventories

At the end of March, the cigarette inventories on the part of China’s tobacco industry reached 167.3 billion cigarettes (3.346 million cases), up 17.55 billion cigarettes (0.351 million cases), with the cigarette inventories of manufacturing sector at 52.8 billion cigarettes (1.056 million cases), and the cigarette inventories of commercial sector at 114.5 billion cigarettes (2.29 million cases). 

Taxes and Profits

On first 3 months in 2012, the tobacco industry of China generated 323.57 billion yuan in manufacturing and commercial taxes and profits, an increase of 10.8 percent over same period of 2012, with the amount of manufacturing taxes and profits going up 12.1 percent year-on-year at 218.92 billion yuan, and with the amount of commercial taxes and profits going up 8 percent year-on-year at 104.18 billion yuan.

Key cigarette brands

On first 3 months in 2013, the tobacco industry of China sold 570.9 billion cigarettes (11.418 million cases) of key brand cigarette, up 7.5 percent year-on-year, and commercial sectors generated 360.03 billion yuan in sales, up 12.1 percent year-on-year, accounted to 90.6 percent of total sales of tobacco industry.

On first 3 months in 2013, the tobacco industry of China sold 45.8 billion cigarettes (91.6 million cases) of 15 key brand cigarette in first three grades, up 10.3 percent year-on-year, accounted to 62 percent of total sales of tobacco industry, up 5.4 percent year-on-year.

On first 3 months in 2013, 15 key brands by sales of the tobacco industry of China generated 319.51 billion yuan in sales, up 12 percent year-on-year, accounted to 80.4 percent of total sales of tobacco industry, up 2.3 percent year-on-year. Enditem