NTA more than doubles fund support for tobacco production

MANILA, Philippines –  Vowing to help raise the incomes of tobacco farmers, newly appointed Administrator Edgardo Zaragoza of the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) has more than doubled the fund for production assistance to P30 million this year, from only P12 million last year.

Zaragoza announced the 150-percent increase when he met with tobacco farmer-leaders at the NTA office in Quezon City last Tuesday. The farmers came from Northern Luzon provinces where the crop is mainly grown.

Many leaf farmers rely on the production assistance in raising tobacco which they pay back after harvest.  

The NTA chief also assured the farmers that his office will be on guard to make sure that they get a fair deal during the trading season.

“We promise to monitor the trading so that you will get good prices for your produce,” he said while noting that the next tripartite conference will be held next year. The conference, held every two years, gathers stakeholders in a meeting to determine the floor prices for the various types and grades of tobacco.

He said these and other initiatives would be pursued keeping in mind President Aquino’s mandate to enhance the quality of life of Filipinos.

He also pledged to have any excess production purchased by NTA in case traders would stop buying as he pointed out the need to have a uniform technology in the industry. 

“You should follow the NTA – recommended technology,” Zaragoza stressed adding that he will raise the matter in his meeting with tobacco traders and cigarette manufacturers next week.

Apart from Virginia which is chiefly grown in Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union and Abra, he told the farmers that he would be taking a close look at the prices for burley and native tobacco to guarantee a good profit margin for the growers.

On prices of inputs, Zaragoza said the NTA will see to it that the farmers are provided with fertilizers, insecticides and other inputs at the lowest prices.

On the other hand, he urged farmers to pay promptly for production loans they incur and allocate part of their own income for production so that they would not be saddled with interest charges.

He said he would do his best to strike a balance in the industry among its stakeholders to insure the sustainability of the industry.

The farmers were led by Saturnino Distor of Pangasinan, Nestor Rodriguez of La Union, Bernard Vicente of Ilocos Sur, Danilo Saquing and Manuel Talosig of Cagayan Valley, Lilia Belarmino of Abra and Pepito Rocutan of Ilocos Norte.