Cigarette pack prices rise up to MVR 250

The market price of a pack of cigarettes has risen up to MVR 250, less than a week after the Maldives doubled the import duty on tobacco products.

Last week, the Parliament passed legislature submitted by the government to increase the specific rate of import duty on cigarettes and beedi from MVR 3 to MVR 8, and the ad valorem tax on the products by 50 percent. The legislature was ratified by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on October 31, and took effect the next day.

Tobacco importers and distributors have raised the prices of cigarettes following this change.

Root, which imports and distributes Japan Tobacco International (JTI) brands such as Camel, Mild Seven and Winston, has increased the price of a carton from MVR 995 to MVR 2,240.

Meanwhile, some retail shops have increased the price of a pack of cigarettes from around MVR 110 to between MVR 240 and MVR 250.

Several shops also report they have run out of their cigarettes, and are having trouble bringing in new stocks.

The Maldives has also increased the tax on e-cigarettes and vapes until a planned ban kicks in. As such, the import duty on flavors and chemicals used in vaping devices and heated tobacco products have been increased to MVR 8 per milliliter for vaping devices and MVR 8 per stick for heated tobacco products, and the ad valorem tax on the products by 50 percent.

Maldives is set to ban the import of devices used for vaping along with spare parts of such devices starting November 15. Meanwhile, the use, possession, production, sale and advertisement of devices used for vaping will be banned starting December 15.

The government has also announced that special measures will be taken to boost the role of law enforcement agencies in preventing smoking in public spaces, and a large-scale national campaign will be launched to help people quit smoking.