The National Tobacco Administration (NTA) declared that tobacco output attained 73,767 metric tons (MT) in 2010 farming year, a 26% increase or 15,195 MT more from 58,572 MT in 2009 harvest year, according to NTA spokesman Edgardo Zaragoza.

Zaragoza in his report to Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala also indicated a 13% increase in crop per hectare, or from 1,931 kilograms per hectare to 2,184 kg/ha.These estimates are a result of technology packages, technical assistance and marketing services supplied by NTA under its Market Driven Quality Tobacco Production, a part of its Integrated Farming and Other Income Generating Activities Project (IFOIGAP).

Starting from June 3, 2011, the program helped approximately 54,337 farmers in 2009, a 13% increase over the previous year’s 45,275 farmers. The area intended for planting also increased by 16% to 38,265 ha in 2010 from 33,851 ha in 2009.

For instance for the IFOIGAP’s rice ingredient, certain P7.7 million in production contribution was raised to 825 tobacco farmers cultivating 683 hectares of rice. This has lead to a rice production constituting 3,483 metric tons, and an increase in crop by 24%. In 2009, rise cultivation under this program constituted 3.18 tons per hectare, raised to 3.95 tons per hectare in 2010.

At the same time, the agency’s Tobacco Contract Growing System, which acquired a P126 million fund for CY 2009-2010, has helped nearly 7,147 farmers, or 51% raise from the previous year’s 4,652. From the planned 2,863 ha the area cultivated increased to 4,903 ha, thus composing a 76% increase from the previous year. This brought to 6,627 additional jobs, according to Zaragoza.

Production assistance prolonged to farmers, financed by a P180 million fund for CY 2010-2011, has helped 9,674 farmers (36.45% growth), cultivating 6,467.27 ha. (33.31% rise), and leading to additional 9, 47 new jobs. Zaragoza also added that tobacco trading was still in the process of development, but production grounded on trading and approbation was forecasted to constitute 79,000 MT, equivalent to 7.09% increase.

While developing this report, Zaragoza informed NTA has finished the construction of 847 drying chambers for Virginia tobacco, grains and rice under its Multi-purpose Curing Barn Project financed by a P84.4 million budget published earlier this year. The number of the 1,000 barns aimed to be constructed under the NTA’s infrastructure and post yield development program to back the country’s tobacco industry constituted 84%.

He also added that the NTA’s seed production and distribution attempts have lead to distribution of 158 kilograms of authorized tobacco seeds, profiting 12,656 farmers planting in around 676 hectares.

By Clark Moore, Staff Writer Copyright © 2011 Hot-Cigs.com All rights reserved.