Php210 Million Assistance for Ilocos Tobacco Farmers

Php210 Million Assistance for Ilocos Tobacco Farmers

Filipino Tobacco Farmer

The Philippine Tobacco Industry is one of the pillars of Philippine agriculture. It is the crop where farmers of the Ilocos region largely depend upon. As such, the industry sector needs assistance in increasing its crop yield and production so as to sustain its viability and ensure the livelihood of the tobacco dependent agricultural sector.

Assistance worth Php210 million was provided by the National Tobacco Administration to tobacco farmers in Ilocos that will produce 6.5 million kilograms of cured tobacco. National production of tobacco is pegged at 45 million kilograms for this year and the assistance will account for 14% of that targeted national production volume.

Access to new technologies, extension programs, training and information, financial credit assistance and expedited payment of harvests will comprise part of the assistance. Of the Php 210 million, about Php115 million will be for land preparation, fertilizers and pesticides aside from suckerides.

The country posted earnings of US$344 million in tobacco exports last 2017. There are 8,331 tobacco farmers cultivating 5,143 hectares of tobacco farmlands under the contract growing system.

Friday, May 18, 2018 Agriculture, Finance, Technology, Tobacco Industry

It is about time! Pension Plan for Farmers and Fishermen

It is about time! Pension Plan for Farmers and Fishermen

The average age of the Filipino farmer is said to be 57 years old. That is 8 years away from the retirement age of most government and private sector workers. Unfortunately, the majority of Filipino workers are agricultural workers. They are farmers and fishermen that comprise 60% of the Philippine population that is located in rural areas.

Acknowledging this state of affairs, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is crafting and implementing a pension scheme for farmers and fishermen. According to DA Secretary Emmanuel Pinol, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) is planning a pension program that will benefit the agricultural sector.

“I have always emphasized that while government workers have the Government Service Insurance System and private company employees and self-employed workers have the Social Security System, farmers and fishermen are not covered by any pension fund,” Secretary Pinol said.

The PCIC is preparing a proposal of the pension fund to Congress so that legislation will be given with regards to the pension plan. It is initially called the Farmers and Fishermen’s Pension Fund (FFPF). This will enable farmers and fishermen to retire because of their advanced age.

Aside from a pension plan, health and accident insurance, crop insurance will also be part of the pension and insurance plan.

Friday, May 18, 2018 Agriculture, Aquaculture, DA, News, Policy