Argentine Province Hopes to Increase Tobacco Exports to China

Source from:  TobaccoChina Online 11/02/2009

Governor Juan Manuel Urtubey of Salta Province in northwest Argentina met with Director-General Jiang Chengkang of China's State Tobacco Monopoly Administration - the regulator of China's tobacco industry - on October 26, saying that the tobacco-growing Argentine province hopes to increase tobacco exports to China. During the meeting, the two sides explored the possibility of establishing a tobacco-processing enterprise in Salta with Chinese investment. Urtubey said that as a large tobacco-producing region in Argentina, Salta Province annually produces 150 million kilograms of leaf tobacco. Data released by Salta chamber of tobacco trade indicated that Salta Province exported 2.5 million kilograms of leaf tobacco to China in 2008, earning 8 million U.S. dollars. The Argentine province is expected to export 8 million kilograms of leaf tobacco valued at 32 million U.S. dollars to China in 2009. The chief of the Salta provincial economic development administration said that China National Tobacco Corporation and the Salta provincial government are currently holding talks on possible establishment of a tobacco-processing enterprise in Salta with Chinese investment, which could be based in Salta City, the provincial capital of Salta Province. Enditem