"I have nothing left at all … except these four packs of mint." " In this small kiosk in the center of Buenos Aires which sells confectionery, soft drinks and tobacco, the stands usually reserved for cigarettes have been empty for several days. "Some brands started missing three weeks ago, today only the people who smoke the least, little-known brands and flavored cigarettes", notes Matías Valdez, an employee of the store. In the kiosks around, it’s the same everywhere. "Smokers are desperate, and this is not good for business", laments the young man.
Argentina has experienced a significant shortage of cigarettes since the start of compulsory confinement on March 20. Agricultural tobacco production is however very active. "The harvest is almost over", says Roque Lopez Fleming, manager of the Tobacco Chamber of Salta (northwest Argentina), one of the country's seven tobacco producing provinces. But it is further that the production chain blocks. "Cigarette factories have been paralyzed since March 20, reports Martin Blanes, president of the Argentine Chamber of Tobacco Distributors. During the first weeks, there was stock left to sell. But currently, there is nothing left to distribute. "
Three companies – whose factories are located in the province of Buenos Aires – share most of the manufacturing of cigarettes in the country: Massalin Particulares, a subsidiary of the United States Philip Morris International, the British British American Tobacco and l Argentinian Tabacalera Sarandi. While Argentina has been in a serious economic crisis since 2018, the consequences of the coronavirus epidemic are worrying the national tobacco industry, on which almost one million workers are directly and indirectly dependent on the country.
"The confinement does not help anything"
The 8 million or so smokers (nearly 18% of the Argentinian population, a proportion lower than that of France, of which 25% of the inhabitants smoke) are plunged in uncertainty and lack. Queues have been created in recent days in front of the few stores that still have packages in stock. "I go to a gas station where I have my habits, I managed to buy them a few cartridges", explains Mariel Di Lenarda. This 50-year-old journalist smokes an average package a day, "Even a little more in confinement".
You have 49.06% of this article to read. The suite is reserved for subscribers.
