OREANDA-NEWS. December 08, 2008. The Belarusian Government has raised the next year’s tobacco products manufacturing quota by 400 million to a total of 19.9 billion pieces. The decision is laid down by the Council of Ministers’ resolution No 1841, reported the Official website www.government.by.

According to the document in 2009 Grodno Tobacco Factory Neman will be able to manufacture 13.4 billion cigarettes while this year’s quota was set at 12.75 billion. The quota for joint venture Tabak Invest has been reduced from 6.75 billion to 6.5 billion.

In 2008 Belarus raised the cigarette production quota from 19 billion to 19.5 billion. 2007 saw the cigarette production quota raised twice.

According to the National Statistics Committee, in January-October 2008 Belarus’ tobacco products output totalled 16.9 billion, 9.5% up on the same period of last year.