Production started at Novi Duvanski Kombinat in Podgorica – Cigarettes for markets of Middle East, Brazil and Northern Africa

The production line at Novi Duvanski Kombinat in Podgorica was restarted around ten days ago.

According to Savka Darmanovic, Director Executive of NDK, king-size cigarettes will be produced in the first phase, whereas the full-capacity production should start by the end of June, when 55 workers will be employed. The production line for Super Slims cigarettes will also be launched, as will be the third production line, more precisely, a filter tube machine. The plan is for all three production lines to make 12.5 to 15 million cartonfuls of cigarettes a year, which should make for revenues of around EUR 24 million.

Since February 2016, NDK has been run by the UAE-based company BMJ Industries, as the Government of Montenegro and the City of Podgorica, which own 70% and 30% of NDK's shares respectively, had signed an agreement on the management of the factory with the said company. BMJ Industries was the only one to bid at the sixth tender for the privatization, or the capital increase in NDK, expressing the readiness to invest EUR 20 million in starting the production. The plan is for the entirety of the production to be exported to the markets of the Middle East, Brazil and North Africa.

Milutin Simovic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture of Montenegro, sees the announcement of the investor that it intends to expand the network of contractors, primary tobacco producers, as very important. This practically means that tobacco producers will have a secure income from the production and the sale of tobacco. As announced, a facility for the processing of the bought tobacco will be built as well. In Montenegro, tobacco was primarily grown in the municipalities of Podgorica, Danilovgrad, Bar and Ulcinj.

Novi duvanski kombinat Podgorica

Vlada Crne Gore

Glavni grad Podgorica

NDKP

NDK Podgorica

BMJ Industries United Arab Emirates

Savka Darmanovic

tobacco industry

cigarettes

production of cigarettes

king size cigarettes

production of king size cigarettes

production of super slims cigarettes

super slims cigarettes

Milutin Simovica

tobacco buyout