Temanggung Regent HM Al Khadziq And Tobacco Farmers Expect This From Cigarette Companies

Regent of Temanggung Regency HM Al Khadziq. (Special)

JAKARTA - The Regent of Temanggung, HM Al Khadziq, held a limited meeting with the head office of PT. Djarum Kudus, discussed the preparation for the 2021 tobacco harvest. On this occasion the Regent asked the company to buy tobacco from farmers until the end of the season at a reasonable price.

The meeting was held online on Tuesday, July 13, and from the factory, the Purchasing Director of PT Djarum, Sutanto. Meanwhile, the Temanggung Regent was accompanied by the Deputy Regent Drs. Heri Ibnu Wibowo, representatives of three mountain farmers, APPTI chairman Agus Parmuji, trader representative H. Nur Qomar, and DPRD member, Mahbub, it was reported in a release received by the editors.

Selling price

To the Djarum, the Regent of Temanggung asked for several things, especially regarding the absorption of tobacco farmers' crops. “We ask that Djarum can buy the original Temanggung tobacco until the end of the season at a high price. Because production costs are increasing year by year. Asking for this year's harvest can cure the disappointment of tobacco farmers who for the past few years have been losing because of low industrial buying prices,” the Regent reasoned.

Tobacco plantation in Temanggung. (Facebook of Temanggung Regency)

In addition, the Regent also asked Djarum to change the purchasing system. “We also hope that Djarum will change the purchasing system from the previous system of deposit selling at the grader to a "weigh-pay" cash purchase system. The point-of-sale system is very detrimental to farmers because there are frequent factory revisions, both price revisions and number revisions (outs), which are very detrimental to farmers," he said.

Besides that, it is also hoped that there will be an improvement in the partnership pattern between farmers and Djarum that has been established so far. So far, there is no agreement on the selling price of the farmers with cigarette producers. There should be a selling price commitment from the beginning of the partnership. So that farmers do not feel trapped in the end with low prices. With this pattern, it is hoped that farmers will be harmed.

Meanwhile, according to the Regent of Temanggung, HM Al Khadziq, regarding the implementation of the health protocols applied by Djarum, the Regent of Temanggung, HM Al Khadziq, should not make it difficult for farmers. "It's okay to apply health protocols in warehouses, but don't make it difficult for farmers, and don't hinder the flow of goods because it will affect prices at the farmer level," the Regent hoped.

Commitment

Meanwhile the Purchasing Director of PT. Djarum, Sutanto responded to the request made by the Regent. He said that PT. Djarum will continue to buy crops this harvest season, because Temanggung tobacco is an important raw material in the company's cigarette production. The minimum purchase quota for this season is 4 thousand tons.

Sutanto from PT. Djarum during an online meeting. (Special)

Later, due to the increase in excise duty, it also affected Djarum's sales as a cigarette producer. The number of kretek cigarette sales decreased. However, Djarum will still buy farmers' tobacco at a reasonable price according to the quality, and hopes that the climate and weather will remain good so as to produce high quality tobacco.

Meanwhile, for the purchase system, said Sutanto, a trading system will be applied. “For the purchase of Djarum in Temanggung this year, all of them will use the trading system, not the grader system for resale. So in theory there should not be a tobacco revision that should be returned to the farmers because it was rejected by the factory," he said.

Djarum will also take action if there is a rogue grader who misestimates the price of farmers' tobacco. Susanto asked farmers to speak up if a grader misjudged the price or misjudged the quality of the tobacco, so the factory rejected it. "Don't want the tobacco to be returned. Djarum is ready to take action against rogue graders who make farmers lose money," he said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, as a farmer partner, Djarum has vaccinated for farmers and traders. “We thank you for the vaccinations that have been carried out for farmers and traders. Even though farmers have been vaccinated, traders and all those involved must implement health protocols without exception," hoped the Regent HM Al Khadziq.