All is set for the consultative meeting among the 200 tobacco farmer leaders in Pangasinan, La Union and Ilocos provinces and Mighty Corp on February 8 in San Fernando, La Union to firm up the partnership and the twin P10-million commitments of the new major player in the cigarette industry.
This was disclosed by Mighty Corporation Executive Vice President Oscar P. Barrientos who said the cigarette firm has earlier sought the help of the National Tobacco Administration how to go about their planned purchase of P10-million kilograms tobacco leaves and the multi-pronged P10-million Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for tobacco farmers and their families.
“We are grateful and we are looking forward to the firm commitments of Mighty Corporation to help the 65,000 strong tobacco farmers in the Philippines with their pronouncements this year to purchase 10-million kilograms of tobacco leaves and the P10-million outreach projects for tobacco farmers,” said Mario Cabasal, president of the National Federation of Tobacco Growers and Cooperatives (NFTGC). Cabasal expressed elation after learning that Mighty Corporation has made commitments to initially buy at least 10 million kilograms of tobacco leaves and to purchase all the excess tobacco leaves that farmers could not sell to other buyers.
Likewise, Cabasal also lauded the latest announcement by Mighty Corporation of the P10-million three-pronged programs to directly help the tobacco farmers that will include the donation of support farm implements like irrigation pumps and tractors, new 200 college scholar grants for the sons of daughters of tobacco farmers and the institutional support for the annual search for outstanding tobacco farmers and cooperatives.
According to Cabasal, thousands of farmers in Pangasinan and the Ilocos provinces have expressed relief that their tobacco leaves will have a sure market this year.
“Now that we are assured of an alternative market, besides other tobacco companies, our members will again be inspired to devote larger areas to the cultivation of Ilocandia’s most important cash crop,” he said.
Planting of the golden leaf started last month and selling the dry leaf often peaks just before the Holy Week.
“With Mighty’s assurance that the company will buy all the unsold tobacco harvested by farmers, we can also be sure that unlike in the past, prices will stay high even after the holiday season, Cabasal said.
Price cut downs on harvests after the Holy Week was an old practice of middlemen from Ilocos Norte to Pangasinan.
This was disclosed by Mighty Corporation Executive Vice President Oscar P. Barrientos who said the cigarette firm has earlier sought the help of the National Tobacco Administration how to go about their planned purchase of P10-million kilograms tobacco leaves and the multi-pronged P10-million Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for tobacco farmers and their families.
“We are grateful and we are looking forward to the firm commitments of Mighty Corporation to help the 65,000 strong tobacco farmers in the Philippines with their pronouncements this year to purchase 10-million kilograms of tobacco leaves and the P10-million outreach projects for tobacco farmers,” said Mario Cabasal, president of the National Federation of Tobacco Growers and Cooperatives (NFTGC). Cabasal expressed elation after learning that Mighty Corporation has made commitments to initially buy at least 10 million kilograms of tobacco leaves and to purchase all the excess tobacco leaves that farmers could not sell to other buyers.
Likewise, Cabasal also lauded the latest announcement by Mighty Corporation of the P10-million three-pronged programs to directly help the tobacco farmers that will include the donation of support farm implements like irrigation pumps and tractors, new 200 college scholar grants for the sons of daughters of tobacco farmers and the institutional support for the annual search for outstanding tobacco farmers and cooperatives.
According to Cabasal, thousands of farmers in Pangasinan and the Ilocos provinces have expressed relief that their tobacco leaves will have a sure market this year.
“Now that we are assured of an alternative market, besides other tobacco companies, our members will again be inspired to devote larger areas to the cultivation of Ilocandia’s most important cash crop,” he said.
Planting of the golden leaf started last month and selling the dry leaf often peaks just before the Holy Week.
“With Mighty’s assurance that the company will buy all the unsold tobacco harvested by farmers, we can also be sure that unlike in the past, prices will stay high even after the holiday season, Cabasal said.
Price cut downs on harvests after the Holy Week was an old practice of middlemen from Ilocos Norte to Pangasinan.