Corporate Priorities

In aggressive pursuance of its mandates and thrusts, the NTA accords top priority to the following programs/projects/activities for CY 2021:   

  1. Market-Driven Quality Tobacco Production, addressing the growing demand for domestic manufacturing and export markets, primarily through the:
    • Tobacco Contract Growing System (TCGS) that will include the provision of production, technical and marketing assistance, and 40% subsidy to tobacco farmers cooperators.  It targets to assist about 4,000 tobacco farmers
    • Curing Barn Assistance Project (CBAP) involves the provision of construction and repair of about 3,000 curing barns and curing shed for the tobacco farmers of Regions 1, 2, and CAR;

    • Improved Seedling Production, with the objective of producing good quality seedlings and instill early planting among the tobacco farmers, this project will involve the provision of assistance to tobacco seedling growers and distribution of free seedlings to tobacco farmers;

  1. Block Farming Scheme to promote consolidation of development interventions to optimize the use of resources and sustain farm productivity.  It will be composed of several farm clusters in close proximity. Each block farm will have approximately 50 hectares and 80 farmers. The block farms will not only be involved in tobacco production but also rice production, vegetables, high value commercial crops, poultry, livestock, fuelwood, among others.
  1. Integrated Farming and Other Income Generating Activities Project (IFOIGAP)
    • Hog Production, where NTA provides additional income for tobacco farmers in hog production. The project includes value-adding/processing, where it operates the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Food Processing Plant (formerly AgriPinoy Tobacco Farmers Food Processing and Trading Center (ATFFPTC)in Ilocos Region, which buys farmers’ produce; processes them into top selling bagnet, Vigan longaniza, bacon, etc.  A one-stop shop where the farmers’ crops and products will be sold shall also be established.
    • Gulayan at Manukan sa Barangay and Vegetable Seed Distribution Project, as a response to food sufficiency of the DA during the Covid 19 Pandemic, where tobacco farmers will be given free inputs on the production of various vegetables and poultry;
  1. Renewable Energy Farm Project and Restoration of Ecological Integrityof Tobacco Growing Regions will address the fuelwood requirement of the farmers in the flue-curing of Virginia tobacco, as well as assist in the reforestation efforts of the tobacco growing regions;
  1. Farmers’ Organizational Development, to include continuing registration of farmers, strengthening farm clusters, organizational development and livelihood assistance, to enable the farmers to become self-reliant, food secured and active partners of development;
  1. Continuing Research and Development, and implementation of pioneering ventures (the other industrial uses of tobacco), to include among others, the enhancement of technologies and profitability of the production of tobacco dust, tobacco handmade paper and tobacco leaf extracts as pesticide for vegetables, fruits and ornamentals.
  1. Quality Assurance for Tobacco Leaf and Manufactured Products, will concentrate in the provision of services that ensure the quality of land, water, fertilizer and leaf tobacco, including the continuing study and monitoring of physical and chemical quality of cigarettes, as an input to continuing technology adjustments, standards formulation and effective regulation enforcement and compliance.
  2. Continuing Exercise of Regulatory Authority under existing laws.  At present, NTA covers production and trading of leaf and the importation and exportation of tobacco leaf and tobacco products. The NTA intends that in the future, it will also cover the processing of leaf and the manufacture, distribution and sale (wholesaling and retailing) of cigarettes, with emphasis on the compliance to standards, detection of fake products and shelf life; regulation also includes the dissemination to trading centers/tobacco buyers of the harmonized grading system of tobacco;