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. - ---