Russian cigarette makers have posted a record yearly output amounting to 405 billion sticks in 2005, 6.4 per cent more from a year before, reports the trade news agency Rustabak.

The increase is chiefly accounted for by a notable production growth registered by six market leaders. PM is in the lead with over 90 billion cigarettes made by its two Russian facilities. BAT’s three plants, along with the ovals outsourced in Pogar, made 80 billion sticks over the past year. The two leaders are followed by Liggett-Ducat, JTI, Altadis (Balkan Star) and Imperial (Reemtsma). The most remarkable growth was shown by BAT and Imperial, 22.7 and 22.1 per cent correspondingly. Leader among the local manufacturers, Donskoy Tabak, that moved the production to a new site last year, has lost more than 17 per cent of its output and slid down to the seventh position, whereas Pogar cigar and cigarette factory (Bryansk region) has gained 22.4 per cent and climbed to the eighth line. All international manufacturers, as well as Donskoy Tabak and Baltiyskaya TF (Kaliningrad) were also dealing in cigarette exports. (vt)