Japan Tobacco International may build a factory in Azerbaijan – minister

Japan Tobacco International (JTI), the world’s third-largest tobacco company by production volume, is considering establishing a factory in Azerbaijan, the country’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said on Monday.

In a post on social media platform X, Jabbarov said he met with JTI CEO Eddy Pirard to discuss the company’s operations in Azerbaijan, as well as local legislation on tobacco products and the application of excise taxes.

The talks also included discussions on potential social investment projects in the country, he added.

JTI, the international arm of Japan Tobacco Inc., operates in over 120 countries and produces more than 200 billion cigarettes annually. Its key markets include Russia, Turkey, and Japan. The company’s annual revenue is around $19 billion, with net profit of $4.8 billion and a market value of $47 billion.

JTI employs over 46,000 people globally and owns brands such as Camel, Winston, Mevius, LD, and Ploom.

N.Tebrizli