Indonesian Tobacco Company Establishes In Vanuatu

Source from:  Vantuatu Daily Post (vu)  10/09/2012

A tobacco manufacturing company is establishing operations in Vanuatu obviously bringing along with it new competition for imported cigarettes. The first of its kind in Vanuatu, Rock International Tobacco is an Indonesian based foreign investment cigarette company that has already registered with the Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authorities. Although the company according to its website is mainly for export, there is a high chance that its products that will be produced locally will be sold cheaper than existing imported tobacco brands. The current price of the most common cigarette, Peter Jackson is around Vt500 per pack and a stick cost Vt50 at most retail shops. According to its website Rock International Tobacco identifies itself asa "foreign investment cigarettes company, mainly for export market". In Indonesia the company produces both White Cigarettes and Clove Cigarettes and hand roll Kretek. Although yet to be seen if cigarette prices dropped, it could be good news for tobacco smokers as it would be affordable to more people and possibly increase the tobacco consumption, not a good news for health authorities. It would also be good news for the company establishing here and its shareholders who will be making money out of cheap tobacco sales. Ironically, recently the parliament has tried to control the use of tobacco. An Act has been passed by parliament on Tobacco is to set up comprehensive standards to control tobacco from advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco, sale of tobacco to young people under 18 years of age, ban the sale of single fruit and small packet tobacco, ban on automatic vending machine of tobacco or cigarette, ban smoking in hospitals and schools and promote health advisory warning on every packet of cigarette. Enditem