Tobacco farmers to lose P1B as cigarette smuggling persists

The country’s tobacco farmers are projected to lose nearly P1 billion this year as smuggled cigarettes continue to flood the market, illustrating the losses from unchecked illicit trade that has long hurt local growers and the wider tobacco industry.

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In a statement, the Philippine Tobacco Growers Association (PTGA) said local farmers stand to lose about P978 million in income in 2025 due to illegal cigarettes that continue to dominate markets across several regions.

“This is the money we use to survive. Without it, we struggle to send our kids to school, buy fertilizer or even put food on the table,” PTGA president Saturnino Distor said.

He added that the issue is not just economic but deeply personal for tobacco growers.