Havana, October 10 (RHC)-- A partial shortage of cigars and cigarettes at Havana´s local shops is due to increased consumption, hoarding and other reasons, according to local media.

The shortage has been made evident in shops that sell these products in Cuban pesos as residents from other provinces like Artemisa and Mayabeque, close to Havana, have purchased large amounts of cigarettes, adding to this the increasing number of adolescents who take up the smoking habit.

The deputy director of the Group of Wholesale Shops, Francis Herrera, explained that some cigarette brands are rapidly sold out from shop shelves despite a large local production.

Cigars undergo the same situation, however up to September, nearly three million cigars were distributed to the commercial network. In order to revert the situation, the Group of Wholesale Shops is considering a strategy to increase cigar production next year.