Japan Tobacco said domestic sales volume in the first three months of 2011 fell 19.3 per cent, a decline impacted by delivery disruptions after the catastrophic 11 March earthquake and tsunami.

For the fiscal year which ended 31 March, volume dropped 11.3 per cent to 134.6 billion units. January-March sales volume at 27.7 billion units compares with 34.3 billion units in the first three months of 2010, when sales volume dipped 5.1 per cent, JT said.
Domestic market share declined to 64.1 per cent in the fiscal year ended March 31 from 64.9 per cent in the prior fiscal year, JT said. The data were made public as a preliminary report to fiscal-year results, which are to be released 12 May.

(pi)