Cuban cigar sales up 7 percent €270 million in 2007

Cuban cigar sales rose 7 percent to US$402 million (€270 million) in 2007

Although smoking bans have made it harder to puff a cigar in many parts of the world, total sales increased regardless, Habanos vice president Manuel Garcia said Wednesday, without giving a reason for the company's gains.Cuban cigars comprise 80 percent of the world cigar market " not counting the United States, which has had a trade embargo banning Cuban products since 1962. Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland and Cuba's domestic market remained top consumers of Cuban cigars last year, while sales in Canada fell 7 percent, as stricter anti-smoking laws took hold, Garcia said.Like wine, the taste of top tobacco depends on the soil and climate in which it is grown. Sun-drenched plantations in the humid, western province of Pinar Del Rio have made Cuban cigars famous for centuries. Most produced on the island are hand-rolled and destined for premium sellers. Read More