Tobacco Farmers Want to Shift to Alternative Farming

INCIDENTS of "green tobacco sickness" and other diseases related to the farmers' exposure to tobacco are steadily increasing through the recent years. More and more farmers are now realizing that the detrimental costs of planting tobacco far outweigh the economic benefits. As such, there is a growing trend of shifting to alternative crops and other forms of livelihood among these farmers. "Gusto na namin ng ibang pananim," said Avelino "Ka Abe" Dacanay, chairperson of the Solidarity of Peasants against Exploitation. Dr. Ulysses Dorotheo, Project Director of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), supports this. "Farmers choose their crops depending on their net income, and equally or more profitable non-tobacco alternatives have been found to be less labor intensive. What is needed is government support for such alternative crops," Dorotheo said. In a survey SEATCA conducted with the University of the Philippines-Los BaƱos, it was found out that farmers earned P158,640 per hectare by planting bittergourd (ampalaya), P116,204 for corn and P91,854 for eggplant. On the other hand, tobacco net returns only amounted to P51,642 for Virginia, P32,750 for burley and P19,266 per hectare for the native variety. The study also showed through a crop suitability analysis that tobacco farming areas in Ilocos Region are also capable of producing such crops. "Kung mabibigyan lang ng pagkakataon, siguradong mas pipiliin ng mga magsasaka ang magtanim ng pagkain kaysa tabako," Ka Abe said. Unlike Ka Abe who is now farming white corn (dikat), most tobacco farmers are trapped in contract-growing and money-lending schemes of the tobacco industry, hence, their inability to shift to planting other crops. Under Republic Act 7171 and Republic Act 9211, government agencies are supposed to assist tobacco farmers with alternative livelihood projects and programs, as well as other agricultural crops through the revenues from the excise taxes on tobacco products. The reality, however, shows otherwise. "Kaya hindi naman talaga namin issue ang pagtaas ng gobyerno ng tax sa tabako. Sa katotohanan, naglalayon pa itong makatulong sa mga magsasaka. Ngunit sa kabila nito, kulang na kulang ang suportang natatanggap ng mga magsasaka para sa irigasyon at iba pang subisidies dahil sa alokasyon ng pondo mula sa buwis. Isa pa, kahit tumaas o bumaba ang benta ng sigarilyo, walang epekto sa mga magsasaka dahil hindi nagbabago ang halaga ng bentahan ng pananim na tabako," Ka Abe claimed. Senator Pia Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, urged the country's policymakers last August to openly discuss the supposed reforms on tobacco taxes. Cayetano said this will not only curb the prevalence of cigarette smoking and address other health issues but will also answer questions on the compliance of government agencies in allocating budgets for the alternative livelihood opportunities for tobacco farmers. Enditem