Tobacco farmers expect good income this year

The nation’s tobacco farmers are in a jubilant mood these days for the high prices their produce have been posting since trading began two weeks ago.

Carlos Cachola, president of the Philippine Association of Tobacco Cooperatives (PATCO), the umbrella organization of tobacco growers’ cooperatives in the country, said farmers are having a grand time selling their leaf harvest with the buying prices way above the declared floor prices.

He said the prevailing prices are higher by up to 45 percent over the floor prices especially for the Virginia type of tobacco.

The PATCO chief attributed this to the high quality leaf output generated this tobacco season.

"Sobrang napakaganda ng tabako natin ngayon (Our tobacco produce is exceedingly fine this year)," Cachola told newsmen. "Its beyond our expectations," he added.

He cited the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) and the Philippine Aromatic Tobacco Development Association (PATDA) for their role in the production of quality tobacco that they posted this year.

NTA and PATDA led by Lancaster Philippines and Union Leaf Co. campaigned for an early planting schedule and promoted the use of proper farming technology for each type and variety of tobacco which the farmers followed, it was learned.

Cachola also noted that the policy of NTA headed by Administrator Carlitos Encarnacion banning the planting of tobacco in salty areas paid off in that only suitable farms were utilized which resulted in good tobacco yields.

He lauded the leadership of Encarnacion who has returned to his post after his relief in 2003. "We have the good luck of having him back and our good tobacco crop back under his watch as well," he said.

Encarnacion, in a separate interview, took note of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap’s staunch support for the tobacco farming sector and his alleged pitch for high quality farm production.

Prevailing prices in the field for the early crop indicate that the top grade (AA) of Virginia tobacco is being sold in Vigan at P55 a kilo, way up from its P47.50 floor prices, while the lesser grades (A to E) are sold at P53 to P45 per kilo.

The Candon area (Ilocos Sur) Virginia crop proves to be raking more for its top grades at P65 for AA, P59 for A, and P55 for B. The prices in La Union and Abra are also relatively the same as in Vigan.

For burley, the higher grades A and B are bought at P40 and P38 a kilo, up from their floor prices of P34.50 and P32.50 respectively. The lesser grades are also fetching good prices and P36 and P30 for C and D grades, P26 and P25 for E and E, and P12 for R.

Chachola said the farmers expressed relief for the earnings they are making this season after suffering huge losses in the past two seasons. He is optimistic that the prices will remain stable throughout the whole trading season.