China's Nine-Months' Sales up 5.3 Percent

Source from:  tr.itsmyiq.com Nov 22, 2007 11/23/2007

Cigarette sales in China during the nine months to the end of September, at 1,637.00 billion, were up by 82.15 billion or 5.3 per cent on those of the same period of last year, according to a Tobacco China Online report. In September alone, sales, at 194.25 billion, were up by 16.20 billion or 9.1 per cent on those of September 2006. During the nine months to the end of September, China produced 1,662.18 billion cigarettes destined for the domestic market, 129.48 billion or 8.4 per cent more than during the nine months to the end of September 2006. The outputs of Grade One and Grade Two cigarettes were said to have increased by 45.1 per cent and 39.0 per cent respectively, while the outputs of Grade Four and Grade Five cigarettes were down by 1.2 per cent and 5.0 per cent respectively. Grade Five cigarettes accounted for 31.3 per cent of the total output. Production of cigarettes destined for the domestic market during September reached 209.98 billion, 32.11 billion or 18.1 per cent more than during September last year. At the end of September, cigarette inventories stood at 146.10 billion, 24.75 billion or 20.4 per cent more than at the end of September 2006. During the nine months to the end of September, China's tobacco industry generated Yuan307.36 billion in manufacturing and commercial taxes and profits, an increase of Yuan67.00 billion or 27.9 per cent over those of the nine months to the end of September 2006. Manufacturing taxes and profits, at Yuan209.07 billion, were up by 27.8 per cent, while commercial taxes and profits, at Yuan98.29 billion, were up by 28.1 per cent. Manufacturing and commercial profits, at Yuan129.83 billion, were up by Yuan33.47 billion or 34.7 per cent. Manufacturing profits, at Yuan51.86 billion, were up by 39.3 per cent while commercial profits, at Yuan77.97 billion, were up by 31.9 per cent. Enditem