This report from the Cigar Association of America (CAA) provides a summary of cigar imports for the first ten months of 2024, with a focus on large cigars, little cigars, and cigar leaf tobacco.
Overview of Cigar Industry Imports
Large Cigars
CAA adheres to industry standards for imports as established by the U.S. Customs, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) for large cigars. The primary import classification for large cigars specifies that they must weigh more than 3 pounds per 1,000 cigars, in accordance with these standards.
- Popular Price Large Cigars: Machine-made, not 100% natural tobacco. These include traditional size, tipped cigarillos, untipped cigarillos, and filtered large cigars.
- Premium Large Cigars: Made of 100% natural tobacco, either hand-rolled or machine-bunched. Premium large cigars include traditional size and cigarillo size cigars.
The table below comprises all four large cigar import HTS codes. As of October 30, 2024, year-to-date imports of large cigars decreased year-over-year by 102 million cigars, reflecting a decline of 1.4%.
Little Cigars
The primary import classification for little cigars specifies that they must weigh 3 pounds or less per 1,000 cigars, in accordance with standards set by U.S. Customs, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
For the first ten months of 2024, year-to-date imports of little cigars experienced a significant year-on-year increase of 76 million cigars, representing a remarkable 94% growth. This surge was primarily driven by a 100% increase in imports of little cigars from Honduras under the higher-value Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) code, which is used to classify goods for import and export. This growth is attributed to a new initiative launched in 2024, specifically targeting this higher-value little cigar HTS import code.
Cigar Leaf Tobacco
Imports of cigar leaf tobacco during the same period experienced a year-on-year decrease of 1.2 million kilograms (kg), representing a decline of 8%.
Premium Large Cigar Imports
Overall Growth
Premium large cigar imports rose by 4.6% year-to-date compared to 2023. Total imports for premium cigars reached 363 million units in the first ten months of 2024, up from 347 million units in 2023—a net increase of 16 million cigars. See the table below for details.
Key Trends for Premium Large Cigar Imports
Despite fluctuations in individual countries, the overall growth of 4.6% in premium cigar imports reflects sustained consumer demand. Imports from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic were the primary drivers of growth, offsetting the continued annual decline in imports from Honduras.
Industry Trends and Market Outlook
The cigar import data for October 2024 vs. October 2023 reflects a mixed performance across market segments.
- Large Cigars: A decline in overall imports by 1.4%, primarily impacted by changes in machine-made categories.
- Premium Large Cigars: Continued growth, with a 4.6% year-over-year increase through October 2024, driven by sustained demand for hand-rolled and machine-bunched premium cigars, particularly from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.
- Little Cigars: A surge in imports, marking a 94% growth, largely due to the success of the new Honduran initiative targeting higher-value HTS classifications.
- Cigar Leaf Tobacco: A decline in imports by 8%, reflecting potential shifts in sourcing or production strategies.
These trends highlight evolving consumer preferences and market dynamics, with strong performance in premium segments offsetting declines in other areas. CAA continues to monitor and advocate for policies that support the industry’s sustained growth and success.
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