Tobacco Production Set to Increase in The Philippines

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 12/17/2010

The Philippines' National Tobacco Administration (NTA) is projecting a 10 per cent increase in tobacco production this season, according to a story in The Philippine Star. Production during the crop year that runs from September 2010 to August 2011 is expected to reach 71.4 million kg, up from 65.392 million kg during the previous year. The Philippines grows mainly flue-cured tobacco, but also Burley and native varieties. Forty five per cent of the country's production is exported. While announcing these figures, the NTA administrator, Edgardo D. Zaragoza, expressed concern for the future of the tobacco industry in the face of initiatives by the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control aimed at discouraging tobacco production and cigarette smoking. Enditem