Central Java P2RPTI Backs Government in Eradicating Illegal Cigarette Circulation

JAKARTA - The Regional Leadership Council of the Indonesian Tobacco Factory and Tobacco Farmers Association (DPD P2RPTI) of Central Java Province officially held the Inauguration of the Regional Management and Working Conference (Muskerwil) for the 2026-2031 Term of Service in Semarang. The Chairman of the Central Java P2RPTI DPD, H. Bagyo Jayadi said that the newly confirmed management has a great responsibility to maintain the sustainability of the legal tobacco industry as well as fighting for the welfare of tobacco farmers as an important part of the national production chain. "This strengthening is not just a ceremonial organization, but is the beginning of strengthening our commitment to building a legal, healthy, and competitive tobacco industry. We want P2RPTI to be a strategic partner of the government in maintaining the sustainability of the industry while improving the welfare of tobacco farmers in Central Java," said Bagyo Jayadi in a statement received, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. Confirmation and Working Conference for the 2026-2031 Service Area, DPD P2RPTI Central Java Province/Photo: ISTAccording to Bagyo, the work program of the Central Java P2RPTI DPD for the period 2026-2031 will be focused on strengthening the organization's institutions, training the legal tobacco industry, improving human resources capacity, empowering tobacco farmers, and expanding cooperation with the central and regional governments. In the hearing held after the inauguration, the Central Java P2RPTI DPD reiterated its support for the government's efforts to eradicate the circulation of illegal cigarettes. Bagyo assessed that illegal cigarettes not only harmed state revenue from the tax sector, but also created unhealthy business competition and threatened the sustainability of the legal cigarette industry and tobacco farmers. "Eradication of illegal cigarettes is a common interest. The circulation of illegal cigarettes harms the country, damages the business climate, and has a direct impact on cigarette factories that comply with regulations and tobacco farmers as suppliers of raw materials. Therefore, a strong synergy is needed between the government, law enforcement officers, and industry players," he said. Meanwhile, the General Chairman of the P2RPTI DPN, Dr. H. Suparno Sukron, in his direction emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between control policies and the sustainability of the national tobacco industry. According to him, the legal tobacco industry has a major contribution to state revenue, labor absorption, and regional economy. "The legal tobacco industry is one of the pillars of the national economy that involves millions of workers from upstream to downstream. Therefore, the state must be present not only in terms of supervision and law enforcement, but also in the training, protection of legal businesses, and empowerment of tobacco farmers," said Suparno Sukron. Suparno also invited all P2RPTI managers in the region to actively support government programs in eradicating illegal cigarettes through education to the community, strengthening industry compliance, and improving cross-sectoral coordination. "We fully support the government's steps in eradicating illegal cigarettes. At the same time, the legal industry must be given a healthy growth space so that it can continue to contribute to state revenues and public welfare," he added. Apart from the issue of eradicating illegal cigarettes, the Muskerwil forum places improving the welfare of tobacco farmers as the organization's priority agenda. P2RPTI encourages policies that favor farmers through improving the quality of crops, ensuring fair prices, easy access to financing, strengthening farmers' institutions, and providing cultivation technology assistance so that the productivity and competitiveness of national tobacco will increase. Bagyo Jayadi added that tobacco farmers are the main foundation of the tobacco industry so that the success of the upstream sector will determine the sustainability of the industry as a whole. "If farmers are prosperous, then the industry will grow healthy, state revenues will be maintained, and people in tobacco centers will have better economic certainty," he said. Through the Confirmation and Working Conference for the 2026-2031 Regional Work Period, the Central Java Provincial DPD of P2RPTI expressed its commitment to continue to synergize with the government, law enforcement officials, and all stakeholders in eradicating illegal cigarettes, strengthening the legal tobacco industry, and realizing tobacco farmers and industrial actors who are increasingly prosperous. This activity is an important momentum to strengthen the consolidation of the organization as well as formulate the next five-year work program in supporting the sustainability of the legal tobacco industry, competitive, and able to improve the welfare of tobacco farmers. The inauguration event was attended by the DPN P2RPTI management, the management of the DPD of districts/cities throughout Central Java, tobacco industry players, representatives of tobacco farmers, and a number of related stakeholders. The activity was also coupled with an audience regarding strengthening the synergy in eradicating the circulation of illegal cigarettes and efforts to maintain the sustainability of the national tobacco industry.