INDONESIA
The Indonesia Tobacco Farmers Association (APTI) commemorated World Tobacco Growers Day this year by helping out local farmers in East Lombok to rehabilitate their production facilities.
Lombok is known as the second of two regions in Indonesia (with East Java) that produces the highest quality virginia tobacco. Local virginia tobacco has made a significant contribution to the economy on both local and national levels. Recently, though, Lombok faced a devastating earthquake.
Following the earthquake, thousands of tobacco drying facilities were damaged, and with the harvesting season getting nearer, farmers were concerned about processing their harvests properly, affecting quality of the end product. APTI estimated that 150 tobacco drying facilities in East Lombok Regency were damaged or even destroyed by the earthquake. In response, APTI made IDR250 million in relief funds available to help East Lombok farmers restore or rebuild tobacco processing facilities.
Soeseno, APTI chairman, said, “We see the importance of maintaining the existence of local virginia tobacco in Lombok, especially as this commodity supports both the local and national economy.”
“APTI believes there is no better way to commemorate the World Tobacco Growers Day this year than by helping out local farmers in East Lombok, to rehabilitate their production facilities.”
According to APTI, there are 58,515 hectares of tobacco farming land on Lombok Island, with annual production capacity of nearly 40,000 tons. However, tobacco supply from West Nusa Tenggara will decrease by around 10% this year, despite the relief.