The National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) has approved two chewing tobacco varieties for registration during the 38th NSIC Technical Secretariat Meeting, reports the Manila Bulletin.

The two varieties of native Batek chewing tobaccos, Lampangog and Sinai, have been widely used in La Union and Pangasinan for several years and are known to have a high yield quantity. According to National Tobacco Administration (NTA), the yield lies at around 2.43 to 3.16 tons per hectares with quality at 70 to 75 per cent high grades, reports the Manila Bulletin. Furthermore, the two types are resistant to pests. Both Lampangog and Sinai underwent evaluation trials in farmers’ fields in La Union and Pangasinan and at a Farm Technology and Services Department (FTSD) experimental area.