Tobacco farmers in West Java have expressed their concerns over the\npush for standardised cigarette packaging, as outlined in the Draft\nMinisterial Regulation of Health (RPMK) concerning the inclusion of\nhealth warnings and information on tobacco products and electronic\ncigarettes.<\/p>\n
Enjan, a tobacco farmer in Tasikmalaya, West Java, believes the\nproposal for standardised packaging will kill the potential of tobacco\nin Tasikmalaya, which is currently expanding. Since 2024, the expansion\nof tobacco farmland in Tasikmalaya has been revitalised, particularly\nwith significant growth in the Tamansari and Kawalu districts.<\/p>\n
He noted that while the potential for tobacco in Tasikmalaya is\nflourishing, the push for standardised packaging will hit the promising\nprospects and development of tobacco farming. \u201cWhat farmers need right\nnow is empowerment and protection, including increasing human resource\ncapacity and providing production infrastructure and facilities. We\nshould not be burdened with additional draft regulations that further\npressure us. It is not just companies or industries that will suffer; we\nfarmers will also feel the impact,\u201d Encro said in a statement on\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
West Java is one of the nation\u2019s vital tobacco centres, boasting 14\nsuperior local tobacco varieties released by the Ministry of\nAgriculture. Furthermore, West Java produces \u2018mole\u2019, a flagship\ncommodity from Sumedang Regency, which is registered as a Geographical\nIndication (GI) commodity with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.\nCurrently, an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 families depend on the tobacco\nsector in West Java.<\/p>\n
Enjan also expressed fears that illegal cigarettes will become more\nwidespread if the standardised packaging regulations are implemented,\nespecially given the plan to standardise fonts, shapes, and colours\nusing Pantone 448C to ensure they are not obscured by excise stamps.\n\u201cHow will the public easily distinguish which cigarettes they are buying\nif the packaging is uniform? This will only lead to an increase in\nillegal cigarettes. Illegal producers will thrive because their products\nwill be easy to imitate and distribute. We cannot remain silent\nregarding this draft regulation,\u201d Enjan added.<\/p>\n
Separately, Meynar Kusumo, Head of the Institutional Industrial\nRelations Working Team at the Ministry of Manpower, stated that the\ncontinuous regulatory pressure on the tobacco products industry (IHT)\ncreates vulnerability for workers through both fiscal and non-fiscal\nregulations. \u201cWe recommend against strict regulation, including\nstandardised packaging. It is important to develop economic mitigation\nstrategies,\u201d Kusumo said.<\/p>\n
He emphasised that the tobacco industry, with its ecosystem spanning\nfrom upstream to downstream, employs 6 million workers and is crucial in\nsupporting the target of 8% economic growth. \u201cThe tobacco industry is a\nbig deal. It contributes approximately 10% of the state budget through\ntobacco excise (CHT). The most important task now is how we can achieve\n8% economic growth through synergy from all parties\u2014industry, workforce,\nand regulation. This is the primary concern,\u201d Kusumo stated.<\/p>\n
The government is currently planning to limit nicotine and tar levels\nin tobacco products to address smoking prevalence in Indonesia. The\nCoordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK)\nhas affirmed its commitment to absorbing all aspirations from various\nstakeholders. Meanwhile, the government has ensured that tobacco excise\nrates for 2025 will not increase, although there will be adjustments to\nthe retail selling price (HJE) for certain tobacco products.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/farmers-fear-standardised-packaging-will-kill-tobacco-development-prospects-1783507907", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }