AER calls for gov't to support tobacco farmers wishing to plant other crops

The Action for Economic Reforms (AER) on Thursday called for the government to support tobacco farmers who wish to plant alternative crops.

"Develop markets – especially improved supply chains – for other viable products," Jenina Joy Chavez of the AER Industrial Policy Team, said in a forum in Pasig City on Thursday.

The group is a public interest organization that conducts policy analysis and advocacy on key economic issues.

An AER study noted that only a third of tobacco farmers in the Philippines were open to growing other crops.

Philippine farmers spend at least 2,500 hours and an average of $1,024.45 to produce just one hectare of tobacco leaf, noted Dr. Jeffrey Drope, vice president of the Economic and Health Policy Research of the American Cancer Society.

"They look at is as a viable crop. It generates cash more reliably, and it has a guaranteed market," he said.

Moving forward, Drope said more alternatives must be made available to tobacco farmers.

“It’s really more of a moral imperative to making sure that farmers are living healthy lives and growing viable crops – preferably crops that don’t lead to ultimately actual sickness themselves,” he said.

Asked to elaborate which crops would be more viable, Drope said it would depend on the location.

“It’s very specific to the regions and we wouldn’t specifically suggest one crop. What we actually suggest is a variety of crops and so you actually go to each region to determine which of the crops are most viable,” he said.

“Really, the government needs to invest in the infrastructure around those crops. Right now we have strong supply chains for tobacco, and weak supply chains for everything else,” he said.

While the shift will take years, Drope said that it would be better for the government to start it as soon as possible.

“It will take many years. It could not happen that quickly, but they (the government) can start it meaningfully now,” he said.

Data released by the AER showed 49 percent of tobacco farmers decided to go into tobacco farming since they inherited the occupation from their parents.

Others – 18.53 percent – noted tobacco was the only available cash crop, and 11.40 percent was attracted by the existence of a ready market.

An official of the National Federation of Tobacco Farmers and Cooperatives Inc. said they will continue to farm tobacco as long it is profitable.

"Wala pa po akong nakita na pwedeng ipalit sa tabako. Habang maganda ang kita sa tabako, talagang magtatanin pa po kami," the group's president, Mario Cabasal, said.

"... Sa tabako pa rin po kami, kasi may suporta ang gobyerno sa tabako. May proteksyon, kaya tuloy-tuloy pa rin po kami. Pag tinutupad mo ang teknolohiya, talagang may kikitain ka sa tabako," he added. — VDS/VVP, GMA News