THE prices of cigarettes in Fiji have gone up as of September 12.
Confirming this to The Fiji Times, British American Tobacco Fiji Limited corporate and regulatory affairs manager Rajeshwar Singh said the increase was because of an increase in the company's manufacturing cost.
"British American Tobacco Fiji Limited plants tobacco leaves and also manufactures them and there are costs involved," Mr Singh said.
He said the increase was also a result of variations in the foreign exchange rates and inflationary pressures.
"Certain components to manufacture tobacco are imported which adds up to the extra cost," Mr Singh said.
He outlined that a packet of Benson and Hedges packet of ten had increased from $3.10 to $3.40, a packet of Dunhill from $3.10 to $3.40, a packet of Rothmans from $3.50 to $3.80 while there was a 10 cents increase for Pall Mall $2.90 to $3.
Mr Singh said they had set the recommended retail prices but the actual cost of cigarettes could be slightly higher when sold by retailers.
He advised cigarette consumers that they had taken the prices up but at the end of the day it depends on the consumers and they had to be responsible smokers taking into considerations the warnings printed on cigarette packets.