Reports from Correspondents:
Tobacco prices raised

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

The minimum price per kilo of Virginia tobacco in the Ilocos Region and Abra was raised from P43-45 to P53-55. This resulted from the successful campaign waged by farmers from the three Ilocos provinces and Abra from January to March 2002. The campaign was led by Stop Tobacco Planters� Exploitation (STOP-Ex), an organization of tobacco farmers from Ilocos and Abra. STOP-Ex�s provincial chapters launched coordinated actions that peaked on March 8 with the visits of leaders and representatives of STOP-Ex to various trading centers (TC) owned by comprador capitalists and a requested dialogue with the TC administrators. As a result, the TCs agreed to raise tobacco prices by P10 and reschedule loans that have remained unpaid for years due to calamities. In some cases, the TCs also agreed to reduce interest on loans by half.

August 2002
English Edition

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