Tobacco production in Mindanao grew by almost double in 2024, reaching 9.7 million kilograms, a 44% increase from 5.4 million kilograms in 2023. The top tobacco-producing province in Mindanao is Misamis Oriental, with a volume of 7.7 million kilograms in 2024. Other major tobacco-producing provinces in the region include Maguindanao del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, North Cotabato, Agusan del Sur, and Agusan del Norte. The main tobacco variety cultivated in Mindanao is “batek,” a native variety that can be harvested after three to four months under optimal growing conditions. According to Ma. Mercedes Ayco, head of the National Tobacco Administration’s Mindanao Outreach Office, more farmers are planting tobacco due to its lucrative cash potentials, with the best price for top-quality harvest reaching P700 per kilo in Misamis Oriental. The National Tobacco Administration has launched the Sustainable Tobacco Enhancement Program to improve Mindanao’s tobacco industry, which includes projects such as irrigation and water management, provision of farm machinery, and training and capacity building for tobacco farmers. Currently, about 2.2 million Filipinos are financially dependent on tobacco, including at least 430,000 farmers, farm workers, and their family members.
