Solidarity of Peasants Against Exploitation (STOP Exploitation) tobacco farmers condemned the National Tobacco Administration (NTA)’s Tobacco Consultative Tripartite Conference for its one peso tobacco price increase.

According to the group STOP Exploitaion, the meager price increase is insulting, and is an apparent paltry token. This is far from their demand for a fair ₱128 per kilo floor price without classification. They said this only shows that traders solely aim to extract excessive profits from farmers, giving the latter mere centavos.

Representing the private sector in the conference, Continental Leaf Tobacco Philippines Inc.’s Michael Tan arrogantly presented various unverified reasons why tobacco prices could not be increased. These included “declining income,” “decreasing percentage of buyers from manufacturers,” and “one million backlog” of tobacco oversupply. He did not provide data when farmers insisted.

Currently, tobacco farmgate price is pegged at around ₱97 per kilo, at times dropping to ₱50 depending on classification and quality.

On the first day of the conference on October 7 in Quezon City, Ilocos tobacco farmer representatives successfully entered the conference venue but the traders failed to arrive. They said the traders’ absence was an affront to the farmers’ grievances and demands.

The NTA must also stop being defenders of greedy tobacco companies that continue to destroy the livelihood of the farming masses.

Despite their significant contribution to the tobacco industry’s growth and the state’s millions in revenue earnings from cigarette taxes or excise taxes, farmers continue being exploited and bound in the chains of poverty, burdened with debt, starvation, inflation, and lack of state subsidies.

Instead of directing tobacco excise tax to farmers and the people, politicians and government officials further insult and assault tobacco farmers by pocketing and squandering it on projects that bring no benefits to us, the group added.

“We will never retreat our demand for ₱128 per kilo. This is the minimum fair price every farmer deserves. This is not a plea, this is a right that has long been denied. Therefore, we must stand! Fight against the underpricing, deceit, and exploitation of greedy companies towards tobacco farmers!” the group declared.