MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday said the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) is now ironing out its production assistance structure to tobacco farmers whose crops were damaged due to the flooding in northern Luzon.

NTA Administrator Robert Victor Seares Jr. has issued a directive to conduct an assessment of the damage after receiving photos of flooded farms in Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, and Abra.

Seares said most of the affected crops were on the vegetative stage, with some areas ready for harvest early next month.

“Based on the assessment from the branches, we will look into an immediate intervention and long-term assistance to our farmers, similar to what we have given them to those affected due to the freak rain last year,” he said.

Data from NTA showed that a three-day off-season rain in January 2021 affected 1,206 hectares of tobacco farms in tobacco growing provinces, with a total of PHP77-M worth of crop damage.

The agency implemented the restructuring of the production assistance given to the affected farmers, in addition to the livelihood assistance given to more than 4,000 affected farmers through the Gulayan at Manukan sa Barangay project.

“We plan to release an emergency cash assistance to the affected farmers, with the approval of the NTA Governing Board,” Seares said.

On Tuesday, the National Federation of Tobacco Farmers Association and Cooperatives (NAFTAC) demanded immediate relief assistance. (PNA)

SOURCE: https://www.pna.gov.ph