More farmers planting good quality tobacco

The Tobacco Contract Growing System adopted by the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) to insure the production of good quality tobacco has drawn a total of 47.633 farmers for the 2004-2005 cropping period.

The farmers planted the crop on a wide area of land totalling 24,389 hectares chiefly in the Ilocos region.

In a report to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, NTA Administrator Carlitos Encarnacion said that of the aggregate number of tobacco growers, 9,117 farmer-cooperators tilling 5,064 hectares are under the close technical supervision of NTA farm technicians.

The NTA chief said 33,000 new jobs would be generated from the 2004-2005 tobacco production activity.

The contract growing system is a scheme wherein NTA matches up farmers with tobacco buying companies for the latter’s procurement requirements. The system assures a ready market for the farmers’ tobacco produce as well as guarantees a high quality yield with the use of prescribed farming technology.

Encarnacion said that Virginia topped the types of tobacco planted with 63 percent of the farmers planting it, while 17 percent planted burley, 19 percent for native, and .07 percent for semi-oriental.

The NTA official reported that the NTA’s thrusts were in keeping with President Arroyo’s directives for the creation of jobs and to promote the well-being of the farmers and the Agriculture department’s goal of making farm production competitive.

It was also reported that highland tobacco growing is now on its second year after the success of Virginia leaf growing in Tuba, Benguet last crop year.

The NTA noted that with Philip Morris Philippines and leaf buyer firm Trans Manila Inc. expanding the growing area in Tuba and opening a new one in Itogon, Benguet, NTA extension workers had their hands full as lecturers and farm supervisors to erstwhile vegetable growers now initiated to tobacco raising.