CLAVERIA, Misamis Oriental – No more “one time, big time” for farmers in this food basket municipality who previously planted cash crops like corn, since they started planting “rotationally” Virginia tobacco.
Paul Araño, an agriculturist and has 20 hectares of land in Barangay Ane-i, said that planting Virginia tobacco is very profitable and the market is assured compared to traditional crops such as corn.
Araño has enrolled in the “rotational” planting method introduced by Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. Inc (PMFTC) in 2012. He started planting Virginia tobacco in 2013 in nine hectares of his landholding and the rest were planted to corn. After three months, this will be rotated wherein areas planted to corn will be planted with Virginia tobacco and the areas planted to tobacco will be planted with corn.
He said this “rotational” planting technique is one of the many ways to avoid crop diseases. It also helps soil regeneration. Crop rotation also ensures continuous soil productivity, helps improve the quality of soil and reduces pest infestation.
Compared to corn, which is usually priced at PhP13 per kilogram (kg), Araño said his earnings from tobacco are higher by PhP20,000 to PhP30,000 per harvest.
Ravi Lumunsad, operations manager of PMFTC’s Claveria fresh leaf buying and curing facility, said the company realized that Claveria is perfect for tobacco farming in January 2012, when it established its first Virginia tobacco experimental nursery farm in the municipality.
With the success of continuous tobacco production in the area, PMFTC opened a fresh leaf buying and curing facility to extend its support to the farmers. pia
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