CANDON CITY—Tobacco farmers are getting richer this season in view of the continuous increase in the buying process of the flue—cured Virginia tobacco.

Estrella De Peralta, branch manager of the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) based in Candon City, said the trading center of the Fortune Tobacco Corporation in Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur is buying a kilo of Class AA full-flavor type of flue—cured Virginia tobacco leaves at P73.

This is P12 higher than the P61 floor price approved during a recent tobacco tripartite conference in Quezon City.

On the other hand, the buying price of Class AA neutral type of the flue—cured Virginia tobacco leaves is now P65 per kilo or P4 higher than the P61 approved floor price.

The full-flavor type of Virginia tobacco is planted by tobacco contract growers of big tobacco manufacturing companies while the neutral type of Virginia tobacco is usually planted by the so-called “free lance” tobacco growers.

De Peralta revealed an unconfirmed report that said so-called “cowboy buyers” or roaming buyers are buying tobacco at P70 per kilo for the assorted classes of flue-cured neutral Virginia tobacco leaves coming from the upland towns of the province.

“The quality of the flue-cured Virginia tobacco leaves this season is very good considering the good climatic condition as a result of the late rainfall which was very conducive to growing tobacco,” she said.

She said they are expecting the increase in the buying price of a kilo of the flu-cured Virginia tobacco even after the Holy Week as long as the product sustains its good quality.