The government\u2019s plan to limit nicotine and tar content in tobacco\nproducts has met with strong opposition from the Indonesian Tobacco\nFarmers Association (APTI). The policy, a derivative of Government\nRegulation (PP) No.\u00a028\/2024, is considered a threat to the\nsustainability of local tobacco varieties and the livelihoods of\nmillions of farmers. Responding to this crisis, APTI has officially\nrequested protection from President Prabowo Subianto.<\/p>\n
Mudi, Secretary General of the APTI National Leadership Council,\nvoiced the farmers\u2019 concerns during a stance declaration forum held by\nApindo alongside 37 sectoral associations in the tobacco products\nindustry supply chain on Thursday (23\/7). He questioned the fate of\nlocal tobacco harvests if the regulation is enforced. \u201cThe implications\nfor farmers are enormous. If the restriction of nicotine content to\nbelow 1mg and tar to below 10mg is forced through and implemented now,\nwhat will happen to the farmers? Where will we sell our harvest? So far,\n99 per cent of our harvest is absorbed by the tobacco products\nindustry,\u201d Mudi said in a statement on Saturday, 25 July 2026.<\/p>\n
Mudi stated that the tobacco products industry sector has proven to\nbe a self-reliant industry capable of absorbing local tobacco and clove\nagricultural produce. He urged the government to re-evaluate the draft\nregulation for the sake of the public welfare. \u201cWe firmly reject the\nplan to regulate nicotine and tar limits. The impact will be tremendous.\nPlease, policymakers, think more clearly. We farmers just want business\ncertainty, to work in peace so we can continue our lives. Whether we\nwait 30 years or 50 years to produce a variety with low nicotine\ncontent, no one can guarantee the farmers\u2019 survival. It all depends on\nthe government,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
This concern is mounting as the majority of tobacco farmers are about\nto enter the main harvest season between August and September this year.\nThe regulatory polemic has left farmers overshadowed by pessimism\nregarding the quality, quantity, and certainty of market absorption for\ntheir harvest. \u201cIt is not easy to change or produce a new tobacco\nvariety with very low nicotine content. How will the preparations be\nmade, what about future governance, changes to fertilisers? Everything\ntakes time and depends on the government\u2019s readiness. It cannot be done\njust like that; it is the same as telling farmers to die,\u201d Mudi\nasserted.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rejecting-nicotine-and-tar-limits-apti-seeks-protection-from-president-prabowo-1784969451", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }