10-50-dram increase in local-made cigarette prices, has aroused protest and various commentaries among cigarette consumers. Some people think that the government tries to fill the budget at the expense of consumer again, many people are inclined to think that it is just an attempt to make a favor to big foreign importers of cigarettes at the expense of oppressing local producer.
Aravot.am made a small quiz today in the streets of the capital. Most of our interlocutors have already decided to start smoking foreign-made cigarettes and as one of our interlocutors said, “If we get poisoned, we will be poisoned from foreign cigarettes.”
“Sis, I smoked 350-dram worth Akhtamar every day. Now it costs 400 drams, there is no denying, they are good cigarettes, but I will buy foreign LM then, it is cheaper, or something else also made abroad”, said Garnik who has been smoking for 25 years.
Another citizen said that he had used local-made VIP which costs 270-300 drams after price increase, “I will not buy those cigarettes anymore, I will choose foreign-made Brilliant or other less expensive cigarettes.”
Only one of smoking people who talked to us assured that he had always smoked “Garni” and even after 30-dram price increase he would not give up those cigarettes, “I buy those cigarettes every day. Paying 30 drams more every day is not tangible, it is paying 900 drams more per month, it is not that big of an amount to start smoking something else.” During a conversation with Aravot.am local cigarette producer “Grand Holding” company representatives said that the reason for price increase was, as it had been in 2010, amendments to Certified Payments for Cigarettes Law, “The certified payment for one pack of cigarettes increased by 30 drams in 2011-2012. In 2013 that payment will increase by another 15 drams. Due to tax increase, the prices for producing some cigarettes have increased for companies included in ‘Grand Holding’, 10 drams on average.” In response to our question whether the cigarette price increase wouldn’t contribute to less consumption of the product, the company representatives assured that it was too early to make such predictions.
More details on this subject in tomorrow’s printed “Aravot”.
Nelly BABAYAN
