What is more known to us about tobacco is that it is the main raw material and ingredient in making cigar and cigarette which health aficionados eventually shunning away from it.
Unknown to many people, there are other tobacco use that has been developed, revolutionized and tap its potential benefits other than of what has been a controversially known as the nicotine addiction tobacco.
Research has begun in 2001, by The National Tobacco Administration (NTA), a Philippine government agency which was relentless and persistence enough to find ways of other tobacco use to alleviate farmers’ plight because of the dwindling of what was once a lucrative industry in the Philippines.
NTA administrator Carlitos Encarnacion said that his agency has discovered new industrial products which tobacco as its main ingredient, as he assured that their efforts shall not just be wasted away because the farmers themselves shall be the prime beneficiary of the new benefits that can be derived from this undertaking.
He identified their pioneering tobacco products which are as follows:
*** Tobacco dust reportedly discovered as an efficient organic mollusk with fish nutrient fertilizer for use in salty and freshwater fishponds.
*** Tobacco ‘virgin’ pulp for the manufacture of paper.
*** Tobacco handmade paper and handicrafts.
*** Tobacco extract in natural and decolorized formulations suitable as organic pesticides for fruits, vegetables and plant ornamentals.
*** Tabacco stalks a viable source of ethanol and alcohol
*** Pharmaceutical and veterinary products that include liniments, animal soap and shampoo.
NTA intends to commercialize the new tabacco products which according to them will generate 11,500 new jobs and an income of about 230 million pesos ($US 5.10 million dollars) in the initial year of operation or a total of 76,000 jobs and an income of 1.56 billion pesos ($US 35 million dollars) for a four year period.