OREANDA-NEWS. Belarus’ privately-owned LLC Tabak-Invest, based in Minsk, increased the output of tobaccos by 22.9% in January-March 2013 to 1.859 billion pieces, an official with Belgospischeprom concern told.

In March alone Tabak-Invest manufactured 629.947 million cigarettes, up 7.6% year on year and 1.1% month on month.

Tabak-Invest manufactures Winston, Monte Carlo, Camel, Mild Seven, Magna brands under contracts with JT International (JTI); and West, Golden Gate, Imperial Classic and Stile (launched in Nov 2012) brands under a licence agreement with Imperial Tobacco Group.

The company also makes Korona, its own brand revitalized in August 2010. In December 2012 the company resumed proprietary cigarette brand Fort.

In March the tobacco mill manufactured two new series of Korona brand cigarettes – Korona Stil (Crown Style, 1.365 million units) and Korona Elit (Crown Elite, 4.26 million units).

Production under contracts with JTI accounted for 74.4% of the Tabak-Invest output in January-March 2013 with 1.384 million units (up 17% on the year), and Imperial Tobacco Group brands accounted for 5.9% with 109.979 million units (down 6.6% on the year).

Tabak-Invest’s own brand output accounted for 19.6% of the overall output – 365.232 million (up 72%).

Tabak-Invest had its 2013 production quota set at 7 billion pieces (up 7.2%).