Global tobacco companies operating in the
local market have also expressed serious con-
cern about the growing share of illegal products
in Kazakhstan. Representatives of Philip Mor-
ris Kazakhstan recently warned that the trend is
becoming increasingly alarming and called on the
government to introduce additional measures to
address the problem.
However, the company also points to Ka-
zakhstan's importance as a regional production
base. A PMI spokesman said the company views
Kazakhstan as a key hub for its regional opera-
tions. "Over the past years, PMI's key focus in
Central Asia has been to strengthen Kazakhstan
as a reliable operational hub with production fa-
cilities while accelerating transformation toward a
smoke-free future. In Kazakhstan, Philip Morris
Kazakhstan operates a modern manufacturing fa-
cility in the Almaty region, supplying the domes-
tic market and exporting to other Central Asian
countries, which supports supply resilience and
stable availability for adult consumers. A major
milestone has been the launch of production lines
for heated tobacco products, enabling local manu-
facturing of smoke-free alternatives in 2025. This
investment supports technological localization,
creates skilled jobs and enhances supply resilience
across the region."
The company says the investment forms
part of its broader strategy to strengthen its pres-
ence across Central Asia.
Philip Morris' Kazakhstan
facility supplies the
domestic market as well
as other Central Asian
countries.
Credit: Informburo.kz
