Tobacco farmers are expected to earn more this year since current buying prices are much higher than the floor prices, according to the National Tobacco Administration (NTA).

NTA Administrator Belinda Sanchez said this “golden season” is apparent based on the prices at the start of the 2025 tobacco trading operations.

In a statement, Sanchez said trading centers and canvassers are purchasing a kilo of prime class of flue-cured Virginia tobacco at ₱107 per kilo and ₱125 per kilo, respectively.

This is higher than the approved floor price of ₱97 per kilo.

“In the actual buying operations, the traders and the field canvassers usually purchase the tobacco leaves produced by the farmers at a price higher than the approved floor prices,” said Sanchez.

This development comes as the NTA announced the start of the trading operations of Virginia tobacco with the opening of buying stations across provinces of Region 1, as well as in Abra.

Sanchez said the NTA’s extension workers have initiated the inspection of trading equipment of such outlets.

In particular, weighing scales were already sealed upon calibration using the weighing test certified by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Weighing scales of the accredited field canvassers were also calibrated to ensure accuracy when weighing the tobacco leaves.

The NTA said tobacco farmers, who planted their crop as early November of last year, have started the delivery of their flue-cured Virginia tobacco to buying stations.

To ensure farmers are fully satisfied in trading their tobacco, the agency guarantees that such products will go through the 4Ps of tobacco trading—proper weighing, proper grading, proper documentation and prompt payment.

The NTA is projecting the domestic output of tobacco to reach 45.6 million kilograms this year, higher than the volume of 45.5 million kilograms recorded in 2024.