Table 8.--Exports of unmanmufactured tobacco, by Madagascar, 1955-62, Jan.-Nov. 1963 
Origin 
1 Source, Statistica Du Commercio, not published for 1957. 
2 Data from FAS reports. 
In 1955, the year just before the opening of the cigarette plant at Antsirabe, 
Madagascar imported 1,635 tons of cigarettes and 936 tons of tobacco, in 
1961 it imported only 299 tons of cigarettes and 1,180 tons of tobacco. 
Production in the Antsirabe plant has consisted of a large proportion of 
dark cigarettes. The 'Melia'' is the most popular cigarette. Itis a short 
dark cigarette selling for about 20 U.S. cents per pack. Several other brands 
are manufactured including the "Oakland", a light blended cigarette, which 
sells for about 39 U.S. cents. 
Cigarette exports by SACIMEN increased each year from 1958 to 1961, 
as shown: 
Tons 
LONE Busi etic toh ¢ bat atin euler eh tates 5 
OS Drs tel we ee eae eel Cone nee 83 
POG Ors ceo) oa cee tae ee ae 100 
WIG Ie ere ee ee cee ere 138 
Madagascar's exports of unmanufactured tobacco increased in 1963 over 
the volume exported during the low period 1960, 1961, and 1962. Reports 
indicate that exports during the first 11 months of 1963 reached 8.6 million 
pounds compared with 7.8 million the first 11 months of 1962. 
Import Tax and Tariff Systems.--The Malagasy Republic has both import 
taxes and import tariffs. Import taxes of about 30 percent are levied on almost 
all products, for revenue purposes. Import tariffs areusually 5 to 10 percent 
ad valorem. Imports from France, EEC countries, andthe French franc zone 
are admitted free of import tariffs. 
Nontariff Import Controls.--Dollar zone imports are part of global 
quotas set for ail imports other than those from France, EEC, and French 
Franc Zone countries. There is a strong tendency to deny import licenses 
for Dollar Zone goods which can be supplied by France or the French Com- 
munity, whose goods may be imported free without import licenses. 
Tobacco manufacturers and the government work in close relationship 
in the field of distribution of cigarettes and other manufactured tobacco 
products. Revenue from tobacco products is an imported revenue earner for 
the government. The "Oakland" cigarette manufactured by SACIMEN, Ant- 
Sirabe, sells for about 95 Malagasy francs (U.S. $0.38); the government's 
share for taxes runs 62.5-65 Malagasy francs (U.S. $0.25 to $0.26). 
9) 
