PHILIPPINES
Agriculture Secretary William Dar has announced plans to enhance the country’s tobacco industry through farm mechanization and the implementation of modernized tobacco farming technology.
Dar’s proposed tobacco industry enhancement program (TIEP) envisions the development of a modernized and industrialized tobacco industry over the next five years. “The board and management of NTA are working together to formulate TIEP as we are looking at the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund as a model. With this, we can help our tobacco farmers increase their income through mechanization program, farmer to market road, value-adding and market scheme, training infrastructures, and credit facilities that offer a 2% interest rate,” Dar said.
According to Dar, who is also the chairman of the NTA governing board, the tobacco agency wishes to use the PHP40 billion (US$788.4 million), or PHP8 billion (US$157.7 million) annually, from the Tobacco Fund for farm mechanization, seed distribution, credit facilities, and skills development to make tobacco growers in Northern Luzon more productive.