SANTIAGO DE LOS CABALLEROS – In a significant agricultural development, the Tobacco Institute of the Dominican Republic (INTABACO) has launched a major production initiative, cultivating 15 million tobacco seedlings destined for the 2025–2026 harvest season. Under the leadership of its director, Iván Hernández Guzmán, the program is designed to substantially aid small-scale producers by providing access to high-quality, subsidized planting materials. This ambitious project will facilitate the cultivation of over 10,000 ‘tareas’—a local land measurement equivalent to approximately 1.2 hectares—bolstering the national tobacco sector’s foundation. The initiative formally commenced with the distribution of an initial batch of 160,000 seedlings of the premium IT-154 variety. These are being offered to farmers at a heavily subsidized rate of just 35 pesos per seedling, a price point that reflects a dramatic 61% reduction from standard market costs. Director Hernández Guzmán emphasized that this critical financial support is enabled through direct backing from the nation’s Presidency. He further detailed the superior qualities of the IT-154 strain, noting its exceptional leaf quality, refined texture, and superior aroma and flavor profile, attributes that are highly prized in both domestic and international markets. The production of these seedlings is being carried out through a strategic collaboration with the agricultural firm Transplanta, ensuring quality and scalability for the program.
INTABACO begins distribution of seedlings for the 2025–2026 harvest
