17:30 - 14.09.2020

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September 14, Fineko/abc.az. "A tobacco factory has started operating in Sumgait, and we can already see in the statistics how much dependence on imports has decreased. We were dependent on imports until this factory was launched. Now we have saved AZN 300 million."

ABC.AZ reports that President Ilham Aliyev made a relevant statement at the opening of the Vocational Education Center at the Sumgait Chemical & Industrial Park (SCIP).

The Azerbaijani leader noted that at the same time the factory has potential for development: "I said at the opening of the factory that we need to build a second or third line so that production grows and we can export these products. And then I said that I want all these products to be exported, so that no one in Azerbaijan uses cigarettes, and so that there would be no domestic demand. Of course, this is not possible, but we must strive for it. In particular, we need to correctly build our propaganda work, in addition, of course, some prohibitions entered into force. Therefore, I see this plant in the future as a purely export-oriented enterprise, and there are many such examples. Now we have tobacco production and high-quality equipment.

Why do some countries, that do not produce tobacco, export their products to us? They buy tobacco from abroad, then process and sell it. You know that we also depend on foreign tobacco for cigarette production. But the goal is to get a harvest from local tobacco producers and, thus, give an impetus to the development of agriculture."