The Industrial Research Department (IRD) of the National Tobacco Administration conducted a two-day virtual orientation seminar on the Harmonized Grading System for Locally Grown Burley Tobacco on November 23-24.
Participants were new Tobacco Production and Regulation Officers (TPROs), Agriculturists, and Researchers from the branch offices in Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, La Union, Pangasinan, and Vigan, including the three departments – Farm Technology and Services, Industrial Research, and Regulation.
IRD Officer-in-Charge Myrna O. Lozano said that the seminar also aims to equip the participants with practical application of knowledge in actual trading operations and to assess the implementation of the Harmonized Leaf Grading System for Burley and Virginia Tobacco.
The IRD Quality Assurance Division (QAD) facilitated the seminar, with QAD OIC Dina B. Dela Reyna, as moderator and Cyrus Raymond C. Olivenza, Science Research Specialist II, and Engr. Kathlyn Mae A. Tejano, Science Research Specialist I, as lecturers.
Topics discussed were keys to standard grade marks; degree of elements of leaf quality in terms of leaf color and position, maturity, uniformity, injury, and waste; grade marks and description by leaf position; and NTA grade equivalents of the harmonized grade description.
NTA Cagayan Manager Dr. Corazon R. Riazonda and Chief Agriculturists Gilbert A. Taguim (NTA Cagayan) and Joefrey T. Bautista (NTA Isabela) contributed insights in the discussion of the harmonized grading system.
Deputy Administrators Engr. Cesario G. Sambrana (Operations) and Benedicto M. Savellano (Support Services) graced the virtual seminar in the opening day.
[Text: Cyrus Raymond C. Olivenza & Melanie Rapiz-Parel / Photo credit: NTA Cagayan / Kathlyn Mae Tejano]