World's largest cigar producer enjoys boom amid Covid-19 lockdowns

Already the world's largest cigar producer, Dominican Republic is on track to export a record $1 billion worth of tobacco products this year

Locked-down smokers around the world are proving to be a boon for the Dominican Republic’s cigar and tobacco industry.

Already the world’s largest cigar producer, the Caribbean nation is on track to export a record $1 billion worth of tobacco products this year. That would represent a 6 per cent jump over the $942 million it sold abroad in 2019, according to government figures.

The cigar industry has emerged as a bright spot for the region’s largest economy, which is expected to shrink 5.5 per cent this year, as its critical tourism and services sectors are hammered by coronavirus-related restrictions.

As global cigar