10 Countries Attend The Indonesian Cigar City Jember Festival

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - 10 state representatives will take part in the 2022 Indonesian Cigar City Jember Festival (JKCI). This is the fourth annual cigar activity to be held in Jember, East Java, from today to Sunday 24 July.

Referring to the committee's data, the ambassadors and representatives of countries present were Argentina, Czech Republic, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Serbia, Cuba, Bahrain, Ambassador of the UN World Food Program, Immigration Attache of the Yemeni Embassy, and representatives of Emmbasy Uzbekistan.

"Last year there were four ambassadors, now there are 10 ambassadors and state representatives present. One of them is Cuba, which is the best cigar tobacco producing country in the world," said JKCI Festival Committee Chairman Febrian Ananta Kahar in a press conference held at Pendapa Wahyawibawagraha Jember, Friday 22 July.

In addition, several international cigar buyers/sellers were also present from various countries such as Malaysia, France, and Slovakia, as well as Macau and a group of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu).

"This activity is the first and only cigar festival in Asia Pacific and is a means to strengthen Jember as a cigar and tobacco city," he said as quoted by Antara.

The 4th JKCI Festival was enlivened by 27 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and a fashion show held in the middle of a tobacco field which was the first in the world.

The Regent of Jember Hendy Siswanto appreciated the activities of the Indonesian Cigar City Jember Festival which could make a positive contribution to the local district.

"We hope that later guests from various countries will buy typical Jember products displayed by MSMEs and of course cooperation or MoUs with cigar buyers, so that there are promising transactions," he said.

He said cigars are high-class products and Jember is one of the best tobacco-producing areas, so that not only manufactured products, MSME products, even from farmers can also be developed later.