Pubdate: Sun, 22 May 2005
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 Philippine Daily Inquirer
Contact:  http://www.inquirer.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1073
Author: Frank Cimatu
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines

TOBACCO TO REPLACE 'GRASS' IN BENGUET

ITOGON, Benguet -- The provincial government is seriously considering
a change of smoke.

Gov. Borromeo Melchor said provincial officials are considering
growing tobacco in areas where marijuana plantations used to thrive.

"If the soil and weather are conducive for tobacco growing, we would
surely switch. Unlike marijuana, we already have a ready market," he
said.

Melchor was guest speaker during the graduation of the 1st Philippine
Upland Tobacco Training Program set up by the National Tobacco
Administration and Trans Manila Inc. (TMI).

Fifty farmers from Tuba and Itogon towns in Benguet, as well as upland
areas in La Union, attended the five-month training.

Itogon Mayor Mario Godio said the introduction of Virginia tobacco in
his town was very important because of the financial setback caused by
the withdrawal of mining companies in Itogon, the base of the
country's oldest mining firms.

"We have 85 percent unemployment rate in Itogon. Maybe because
small-scale miners are also considered part of the underground
economy," he said.

He said 10 hectares in Barangays Tinongdan, Dalupirip and Poblacion in
Itogon are growing Virginia tobacco. Other upland areas in Benguet
already growing Virginia tobacco are Barangays Tabaan Norte and Sur in
Tuba.

Godio said some of the sites identified as ideal for tobacco growing
in his town used to grow marijuana.

Melchor said because of vegetable importation and bad roads, the
switch to tobacco cultivation is not farfetched.

He said only 7,000 hectares of the 25,000 irrigated lands in Benguet
have sufficient irrigation.

"Tobacco needs less water," said Melchor, a former Cordillera director
of the National Irrigation Administration.

He said the switch from marijuana or vegetable planting to tobacco may
not take too long. "Technology transfer is already there," he said.

NTA Administrator Carlitos Encarnacion said Tabaan Norte in Tuba has
been cultivating Virginia tobacco for three years now.

"We have proven that we can grow excellent tobacco in upland Benguet.
And if the soil and weather are similar [in the former marijuana
growing areas], then we can also grow them there," he said.

TMI, the official tobacco supplier of Philip Morris Philippines Inc.,
said cooler and humid areas are conducive to quality tobacco needed by
PMMI.

"We are not only looking at this as a one-to-five-year deal but as a
long-term investment. We look at this as our way of looking forward,"
Chris Nelson, PMMI managing director, said.

The training program would teach farmers the early planting technology
(EPT) and other techniques to grow better tobacco, he said.

EPT means that Virginia tobacco is grown during the cooler months
unlike the traditional method so plants will be less stressed and
therefore healthier.

TMI has committed to buy all tobacco leaves grown and cured in upland
Benguet. 
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