Cigarettes - Picture - Business Day Online
SA exports 58% more tobacco products in 2009 - Minister
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INET BRIDGE
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Published:
2010/04/09 12:37:54 PM
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One thing you can say for global economic crises, they do increase people's smoking habits. Exports from South Africa of tobacco products leapt by 58% during last year, according to figures given in Parliament by the Trade and Industry Minister .
Giving a written reply to a Parliamentary question from Cecilia Kotsi of the Congress of the People, the minister noted that exports generally declined in 2009 because of the crisis, but it also seems likely from his reply that exports of booze were also up – although they were aggregated under 'food products (processed)'. These rose by just under 10%.
The impression might be reinforced by the fact that Davies's figures show that exports of glass and glass products also soared above the 2008 figure by 44.8%.
Davies said that manufactured goods exported fell by 23% during the year, compared to annual increases of 20.4%, 22.7% and 30.5% in the years since 2005.
He also pointed out that total exports grew to only two countries:
exports to China grew by 33% last year, and to Zimbabwe by 14%.