PMFTC Inc. or Philip Morris Philippines purchases nearly two-thirds of all locally produced tobacco delivered to manufacturers in 2025, reaffirming its role as the country's largest buyer of Philippine-grown tobacco amid the government's call for farmers to expand production ahead of the next cropping season.

The company has remained the country’s largest purchaser of locally produced tobacco for the past three years, consistently buying the majority of Philippine tobacco delivered to manufacturers. In 2025 alone, PMFTC purchased 8.297 million kilograms of locally grown tobacco, equivalent to about 69% of the 12.1 million kilograms delivered to manufacturers.

"We remain committed to support the livelihood of thousands of Filipino tobacco farmers in the country. We recognize the vital role that tobacco farmers play in our supply chain and in the communities where they operate. As the leading leaf buyer, we remain committed to contribute to the growth of the Philippine agriculture sector and generate economic activity for the country." said Zhenya Ivanov, PMFTC President.

This comes as the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) urged farmers to begin planting earlier than usual to minimize the expected impact of a looming El Niño dry spell. The agency has also expressed optimism over the coming crop year, citing favorable market conditions, continued demand for locally produced tobacco, and the need to sustain farmer incomes.

PMFTC said its continued sourcing reflects its long-standing partnership with local growers and its confidence in the quality of Philippine tobacco leaf, which supplies domestic manufacturing requirements.

In 2023, PMFTC purchased 7.189 million kilograms of Philippine-grown tobacco, equivalent to approximately 56% of the 12.734 million kilograms of locally produced tobacco delivered to manufacturers. In 2024, it sourced 7.495 million kilograms, representing about 63% of the 11.9 million kilograms delivered to manufacturers from local production. 

The company said these volumes reflect its continued investment in the local tobacco industry.

The NTA earlier said it expects tobacco production to remain stable and noted that existing inventories from the previous harvest have largely been absorbed by buyers, creating favorable market conditions for the coming season.

"Tobacco remains an important cash crop for thousands of Filipino farmers and their families. We welcome PMFTC’s continued support for the industry, having purchased the majority of the country’s locally produced tobacco leaf over the past three years. This provides our growers with a stable and reliable market for their harvests. We thank PMFTC for its continued support of the Philippine tobacco industry and our tobacco farming communities," said NTA President and CEO Belinda Sanchez.

The regulator has likewise continued to encourage tobacco farmers to participate in contract-growing arrangements, saying these provide growers with a guaranteed market, technical assistance and production support while helping ensure a stable supply of quality tobacco leaf for buyers.

PMFTC said it intends to continue working closely with tobacco farmers, trading partners and government agencies to strengthen the local tobacco value chain."Philippine tobacco farming depends on strong partnerships across the value chain," Zhenya Ivanov said. "We will continue investing in long-term relationships with local growers to help ensure that Philippine tobacco remains competitive both locally and internationally."