CANDON, Ilocos Sur — Disaster struck the Virginia tobacco industry of Ilocos Sur as a result of heavy rains spawned last week by typhoon ‘Agaton.’

A report from the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) said a total of 1,652 hectares of
Virginia tobacco plants estimated to cost P120 million were destroyed by two to three days of rains spawned by the typhoon.

Many of the affected tobacco plants wilted and died after being submerged by water as a result
of the heavy rains that were totally unexpected at this time of the year.

Estrella de Peralta of the NTA here said those destroyed  comprised 28.36 per cent of the 5,825.6 hectares of  growing tobacco plants that were planted in the whole province of Ilocos Sur.

De Peralta said expects more damages to be reported as soon as the rainwater that settled in tobacco fields has subsided or dried up.

The initial damages were computed by the NTA at 1,800 kilograms per hectare, multiplied by P40 which is the approved buying price per kilogram of the flu-cured Virginia tobacco leaves.

The biggest damages at P118 million were registered in the province’s second district, mostly from the towns of Banayoyo, Burgos, Esteban and this city.

On the other hand, Faustino Taal, chief agriculturist of the NTA in Vigan, said only P2.09
million worth of Virginia tobacco plants were destroyed in the province’s first district, like
Sinait, Cabugao, Magsingal, San Juan and Sto. Domingo.

Taal expects the recovery of the partially damaged tobacco plants but he however expressed belief that they could no longer produce the appropriate quality of tobacco leaves.

Carlos Cachola, president of the Philippine Association of Tobacco-based Cooperatives (PATCO), appealed to financial institutions that  lent money to tobacco farmers to give due consideration to the farmers whose crops were affected by the rain.

No one could be blamed for the misery of the tobacco industry this year except the climatic condition, he said. (PNA)