Tobacco Trading in Full Swing Despite Start of Rainy Season — NTA

The National Tobacco Administration (NTA) announced Saturday that tobacco trading across the Philippines remains fully operational, even after PAGASA officially declared the start of the rainy season.

Trading centers for flue-cured Virginia tobacco in the Ilocos region will remain open until June 30. However, the NTA noted that if farmers still have stock beyond that date, the agency can request trading centers to extend operations. Depending on leaf quality, prices for Virginia tobacco can reach up to ₱130 per kilo.

Current active trading centers in Ilocos include Universal Leaf Philippines Inc. (ULPI), Trans Manila Inc. (TMI), and Continental Leaf Tobacco Philippines Inc. (Conleaf). For burley and native tobacco, operations in Regions 1, 2, 3, and CAR will continue until August 31, with top prices reported at ₱118 for burley and ₱175 per kilo for native (Batek) tobacco.

Other buyers like Pentaleaf (Cagayan Valley), A&J Trading Center, and John Medriano Trading Center (La Union) are also actively purchasing tobacco. In Mindanao, native tobacco is sold at local “Tabo Markets.”

As of June 4, there are 59,242 registered tobacco farmers cultivating 32,503 hectares nationwide. NTA Administrator Belinda Sanchez highlighted that this season’s higher market prices are giving farmers stronger earnings compared to standard floor prices.

Tobacco is the only crop in the country with officially set floor prices, adjusted every two years via tripartite consultations among farmers, traders, and manufacturers.

Approximately 2.2 million Filipinos depend on the tobacco industry, including over 430,000 farmers and their families, making it a vital part of the rural economy.