TASHKENT (UzDaily) – Uzbekistan raised its excise tax on imported tobacco products as the country’s 2013 budget, signed by President Islam Karimov, went into effect on January 1.

The tax increase affects prices which rose from UZS 26,000 (US $13) per 1,000 cigarettes to UZS 36,000 ($18.20).

The government had already imposed a 25% tax increase on Uzbek-manufactured cigarettes, which have 90% of the domestic market share. The tax on Uzbek filtered cigarettes, formerly UZS 10,739 ($5.40) per 1,000 cigarettes, jumped to UZS 13,424 ($6.75).