A Decade of Setting Standards for Quality Tobacco Leaf and Product

by Carol Lynn R. Sambo

Project 1
Annual Physical and Chemical Evaluation of Philippine Grown and Imported Tobacco (Virginia, Burley and Native)

THIS project monitors and evaluates the physico-chemical quality of locally produced tobacco leaves grown under various technology applications and locations. This is to determine quality composition, material usability and deficiencies; as inputs to technology adjustments, production programming and regulatory purposes.

The Quality Assurance Division (QAD) team, headed by Lina O. Cera, gathered tobacco leaf samples used in the evaluation in areas where a particular tobacco type is produced, i.e., Virginia leaf tobaccos produced in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, and La Union; Burley in Pangasinan, Cagayan and Isabela; and Native in Cagayan and Isabela.

For the characterization, the QAD team used the proposed Harmonized Grading and Classification System then under pilot testing until its approval in April 21, 2017. See Tables 1 and 2 for results generated from the evaluation of tobacco leaves collected for the period 2011-2018 in terms of % grade distribution and the corresponding weight of the tobacco leaves along with the equivalent grade marks in the approved NTA Grading System.

Proper grading and classification determines the profitability of this crop; high grade leaves command higher market value compared with the inferior grades. Under the Harmonized Method of Grading (Table 1), out of the 401.63 kg of Neutral Flavor Flue-Cured Virginia leaves subjected to grading and classification for the same period, 83.45% were of High
Grades (AA, A, B, C), with an equivalent weight of 335.16 kg; while 16.53% were of the Medium and Low grades combined. Most of the 433.6 kg of Improved Flavor tobacco leaves classified or 77.76% were of the High Grades (AA, A, B, C), with an equivalent weight of 337.17 kg; while the remaining 5.82% and 16.47% were of the Medium (D, E) and Low (F1, F2, R, ND) grades, respectively.

A similar trend was established in the result found in grading and classification of the Burley leaves using the same grading system conducted for the same period as shown on Table 2. For the Neutral Flavor, 85.04% of the 288.31 kg of leaves graded were of High Grades (A, B, C), with an equivalent weight of 245.18 kg; 14.96% were of Medium (D, E) and Low (F, R) grades; split between the two at 10.66% and 4.30%; respectively.

The QAD team graded and classified a total of 378.86 kg of Burley Improved Flavor leaves from CY 2011-2018. Of the volume, 85.23% were of High Grades (A, B, C), or an equivalent of 322.90 kg; 11.85% were of the Medium Grades D and E, with an equivalent weight of 44.89 kg; and a mere 2.95%, with an equivalent weight of 11.18 kg, were of Low Grades F and R.

Project 2
Annual Physical and Chemical Evaluation of Manufactured Tobacco Products

THIS project monitors and evaluates physico-chemical quality of tobacco products to determine Nicotine, Total Particulate Matter (TPM), Tar (Dry Particulate Matter, DPM), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and other physical and chemical characteristics for quality assurance and regulatory purposes.

From CY 2007 to 2018 this project conducted a very thorough investigation on nicotine transfer from tobacco leaves to smoke.

Nicotine, the desired active component of cigarettes, plays a very important role in the smokers’ sensory assessment of mainstream smoke quality, particularly its impact and irritation, the two identified major factors that determine nicotine satisfaction. The “impact” effect is that localized sensation felt momentarily at the back of the throat. The “irritation” effect, on the other hand, is the lingering harsh sensory property of smoke. These two effects, however, are softened by the presence of the right amount of “tar,” another equally hazardous component.

The cigarette is a scientifically engineered nicotine delivery device. Its design specification and construction components control the amount and quality of the smoke delivered. Each cigarette construction material was dissected and characterized for physical properties. As for the chemical aspect, analysis includes nicotine level in the cut filler blend and in the smoke yield, TPM, “tar” (DPM), CO, and the Physical Smoking Attributes.

QAD has collected and characterized a total of 75 different brands of Philippine manufactured cigarettes and 142 imported combined (Transshipped, constructive importation, contract manufactured brands).

Cigarettes were classified into three groups: Prime, Medium, and Low Priced Brands. (See Table 3)

The Prime Price is composed of cigarettes regarded with highest equity as the most preferred based on smoking quality. It is best expressed in terms of Ventilation/Dilution and Pressure Drop or Resistance to Draw (RTD) which is the degree of resistance felt as the smoker sucks smoke. This property does not only contribute to a cigarette’s smoking desirability; it does also affect the levels of constituents in the smoke yield.

The ten-year mean value of Ventilation derived from the characterization for the Prime Priced is at 15.92%; Pressure Drop at 107.50mm H2O Column, the delivered Smoke constituents with 1.30 mg of Nic, 15.67 mg of TPM, 11.20 mg of tar and 9.86mg of CO per stick are noticeably of low levels, compared with the two inferior groups.

Project 3
Harmonization of Tobacco Leaf Grading Standard

THE project’s objective is to conduct research studies relative to harmonization and development of an improved tobacco leaf grading system in line with internationally accepted standards.

QAD conceptualized the Harmonized Grading and Classification System to meet the requirement of a common system in leaf grading that is internationally acceptable as well. It characterized tobacco leaves produced for several cropping season in order to establish a trend, match and consistency. From its studies, QAD found out that locally grown Virginia has 72 varying grades, while for locally-grown Burley, 58 grades. The varying grades are considered with respect to leaf positions which have a corresponding grade marks in the official NTA grading system approved by the NTA Governing Board on February 15, 2000.

QAD devised the grading system that went through a series of evaluation and review for comments and suggestions through consultations with tobacco stakeholders. The output became the Implementing Rules and Guidelines of the NTA Grading and Classification, known as the Harmonized Grading System, which was approved by virtue of Board Resolution No. 653-2017 of the NTA Governing Board on April 21, 2017. Then on February 20, 2018, then Administrator Robert L. Seares issued Memorandum Circular No. 001 Series of 2018 ordering the adoption of the Harmonized grades for locally grown Virginia and Burley leaf Tobacco by all registered tobacco buying stations and field canvassers.

The approved Implementing Guidelines was published in 2018 as Manual on the NTA Harmonized Grades of the Locally Grown Virginia and Burley Leaf Tobacco. Since its release, the manual has been a reference guide for extension workers (TPROs, PDOs, Agriculturists), leaf graders in buying stations, and researchers.

Project 4
Capability Enhancement on Leaf Grading

THE project aims to develop technical competence in leaf grading for professional graders from the agency and the private
sector, tobacco farmers and Researchers including issuances of Certificates of Proficiency and Accreditation for Virginia and Burley Tobacco.

The project started during the conceptualization of the NTA Harmonized grading system. Prior to this, trainings and
orientation seminars were conducted using the US standard grading system which is internationally accepted. One of the leaf grading systems were fused together which now comprise the NTA Harmonized Grading system.

Harmonized Grading LINK https://www.nta.da.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/NTA-Manual-on-Harmonized-Grades-2018.pdf

Upon approval of the NTA Harmonized Grades System on April 21, 2017, the agency intensified its leaf grading capability enhancement trainings and orientation seminars. To date, a total of 488 individuals participated in the said trainings and seminars, which included TPROs and Agriculturists (For Virginia and Burley combined) from the eight Branch Offices, including tobacco farmers, researchers, and professional graders from trading centers. They are now equipped with the knowledge on the application of the grading system. Of the total participants, 179 were from the Branch Offices and 62 from the Central Office. The rest, or 247 participants, were farmer leaders and leaf graders from trading centers. The Branch Offices conducted re-echo orientation seminars designed for farmer cooperators with a total of 2,145 participants for the Virginia and 155 for Burley.

QAD facilitated the conduct of group-specific training on USA Official Standard Leaf Grades on Flue Cured and Burley Tobacco under Cooperative Agreement between NTA and the Agricultural Marketing Services, US Department of Agriculture (AMS, USDA).

This was held at the NTA Central Office on July 9-13, 2018 for the Flue Cured and July 16-20, 2018 for Burley, attended by 60 extension workers from the Branch Office and QAD personnel. Mr. Bobby Wellons, a Division Training Instructor with Agricultural Marketing Services (AMS, USDA), was the resource person. He brought along with him US-grown Flue Cured and Burley leaves that were used in the leaf grading and characterization exercises.