NTA issues rules on import, export of tobacco leaves

The National Tobacco Administration (NTA) is set to issue a set of rules and regulations governing the importation and exportation of leaf tobacco and leaf produce.

The rules are spelled out in Resolution 050-2004 passed recently by the NTA board which is headed by Agriculture Secretary Luis P. Lorenzo Jr. Incoming Agriculture Secretary Arthuro Yap was also present during that meeting.

The resolution clears the way for NTA to collect fees for various services rendered to the tobacco industry’s stakeholders, especially the business sector.

Encarnacion said that NTA is now collecting commodity clearance fees for the importation and exportation of tobacco leaf and tobacco products such as cigarettes, as well as inspection and monitoring fees.

He said NTA may be able to meet the President’s call for "Balancing the Budget" which she declared during the SONA. This is the first time that NTA will be collecting fees for its services while all other government agencies had been imposing their own service fees.

Encarnacion said the earnings generated will be plowed back to the tobacco industry in terms of assistance to farmers so they can elevant and improve the quality of their tobacco produce.

It will benefit, in the end, the tobacco manufacturers who had been reportedly egging for high quality tobacco supply from the farmers.