Some 49 registered farmers associations in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte received on Monday PHP16-million worth of farm machinery and equipment courtesy of the municipality’s share of the tobacco excise tax.

“This is sourced from the local government unit’s share of tobacco excise tax. All our farmers will benefit from it,” Mayor Angel Miguel Hernando said in a media interview during the mass distribution at the town plaza.

The beneficiaries got hand tractors with trailers, water pumps, irrigation hoses, grass cutters, and mechanical table scales, among others.

Hernando said the agriculture assistance was based on requests of farmers during the consultation meetings of the municipality.

“These are replenishments from the previous machinery they received before to cushion the impact of climate change and help them with the high cost of agriculture input. Those that they received about five years ago may have depreciated so we continue to assist them to boost their production,” he said.

For farmer Zaldy Rumbaoa of Barangay San Pablo, the most challenging part of growing tobacco and other high-value crops is access to water.

“We are so thankful that the local government is always there to support us in so many ways, from production to marketing of our products,” he said in Ilokano.

Under Republic Act 7171 and RA 8240, tobacco-growing municipalities get a share of tobacco excise tax collections based on the volume of leaves produced by their local tobacco growers.

For 2022, San Nicolas got a PHP38 million share. Of the amount, PHP16 million was allocated for the purchase of farm machinery and equipment while the remaining PHP22 million will be used for the improvement of various infrastructure projects and the town’s market. (PNA)