Philippines: DA Eyes Mindanao for Expansion of Virginia-tobacco Production

Source from:  Business Mirror  05/19/2014

Driven by the need for area expansion and increased yields of 4.46 percent from 2012 to 2013, tobacco production has been growing over the past two years, according to the  National Tobacco Administration (NTA).

"Though the Ilocos region has a vibrant tobacco industry, private-tobacco firms continue to search for areas to plant tobacco, particularly the Virginia type," the NTA, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), said in a statement over the weekend.

Misamis Oriental in Northern Mindanao is being eyed as a  suitable area.

Tobacco farmers in Misamis Oriental, particularly in the municipalities of Opol, El Salvador, Alubijid, Laguindingan, Gitagum, Libertad and Initao, have been growing the Batek or native variety, the NTA said.

NTA data showed a total of 559.65 hectares were planted to Batek tobacco with a total production of 431,771 kilograms during the crop years 2011 to 2012.

With the area expansion, NTA Administrator Edgardo D. Zaragoza expects "the continuing process of improving the quality of tobacco leaves," adding that "enhancing the quality would make Philippine tobacco very competitive in the world market."

The Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. (PMFTC) has established its first Virginia-tobacco experimental farm, covering 10 hectares in Barangay Ane-i, Claveria, an interior municipality in the eastern part of Misamis Oriental, in January 2012.

Initial result of the trial has encouraged the cigarette company to proceed to the precommercialization phase, according to the NTA.

With 113 farmers representing a total area of 58.27 hectares involved in the second phase, the PMFTC extended production assistance, such as cash, inputs, technical help and tobacco seedlings to the farmers, the tobacco agency said in its statement.

The NTA said the second phase ended in October last year.

The regulator said the first batch of transplanting for the commercialization phase was conducted in November last year until April this year, covering a total area of 200 hectares.

"Most farmers in Claveria are willing to shift to tobacco farming as they can avail themselves of production assistance from the cigarette compnay," the NTA also said.

Aside from the promise of a bigger income in tobacco farming, the farmers were also optimistic for the employment opportunities provided by the tobacco firm with its expansion program, the NTA said. Enditem