Tobacco export jumps 70% in April on record prices

“The country exported tobacco worth Rs348.91 crore in April this year against Rs204.86 crore in the same month last year," a senior Tobacco Board official told the agency.

However, the rise in the volume of export is not that dramatic. Tobacco shipment, comprising raw tobacco and its products, rose marginally in volume to 20,166 tonnes in April, compared with 19,733 tonnes a year earlier, he said.

“High prices of Indian tobacco have contributed immensely to the rise in exports in value terms even though volumes of shipment have not increased that much," the official said.

While raw tobacco export has surged both in value and volume terms, that of tobacco products has lagged.

The country has shipped abroad raw tobacco worth Rs306.86 crore in April against Rs159.79 crore in the same period last year, while in volume terms, the unmanufactured tobacco export has shot up to 18,270 tonnes from 17,160 tonnes during the review period.

However, the shipment value of tobacco products slipped to Rs42.05 crore in the first month of this fiscal from Rs45.07 crore a year earlier. Similarly, the export volume has declined to 1,896 tonnes from 2,573 tonnes during the period.

Indian tobacco prices have hit a record high on a surge in demand overseas.

The average price of tobacco in the ongoing auction in Andhra Pradesh has touched a record and is ruling at Rs107.09 per kg as on 15 June, compared with Rs84.31 on the same day last year, according to official data.

The rate of the highest-quality tobacco has touched Rs114.91 a kg as on 15 June against Rs86.78 a year earlier, he added.

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