MANILA, Philippines - The Universal Leaf Philippines Inc. (ULPI) has opened its tobacco buying stations in Candon, Ilocos Sur and Agoo, La Union where its warehouses are located.
ULPI, the biggest tobacco growing and processing company in the country, works with more than 28,000 farmer contract growers covering an area of more than 19,000 hectares.
These contract growers account for about 57 percent of the country’s local leaf production.
ULPI president Winston Uy said he is bullish about this year’s business performance arising from the stable supply of good quality tobacco.
“We are very optimistic because of the good quality of tobacco we are receiving from our hard-working farmer partners. At the start of every crop year, we provide them with full financial and technical support. I believe that supporting our farmers 100 percent redounds to sustainability,” he said in a statement.
“We also recognize that it is just as important to extend subsidy for their other needs during the tobacco planting season,” Uy added. ULPI provides P1 billion in financing support to all its contracted farmers.