MALASIQUI–Former Rep. Ma. Rachel Arenas remains active in the 3rd District, recently holding a dialogue with representatives from the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) and tobacco farmers in the area to address concerns.

Arenas told tobacco farmers who came to her farmhouse in Barangay Nancapian on March 8 that she wants to make sure that the tobacco excise taxes benefit the tobacco farmers.

“We want to give it back to tobacco growers,” she told the crowd.

NTA Pangasinan Branch Manager Cesar Sambrana, meanwhile informed the farmers about loan packages with very minimal interest, scholarship grants to children of tobacco farmers and their contract growing scheme to avail of ready market for their produce.

He added that the NTA gives technical assistance, financial support and marketing assistance.

All the tobacco plantation in Pangasinan are into contract growing either with a company or direct with the NTA, which looks for partnerships to ensure that loans of farmers are paid, Sambrana said.

“Even if these are already contracted, we make sure the price is okay as there are already pre-determined prices,” he said.

He added that with contract growing, a repeat of the 2003 experience could be avoided wherein tobacco farmers planted the kind of tobacco they wanted but some of their produce were not bought.

There are about 2,000 hectares in 13 towns in Pangasinan planted to either burley or native tobacco within the 3rd to 6th districts.—Tita Roces

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