Global buyers discover Indonesia’s premium cigars in Jember.
The Jember Kota Cerutu Indonesia (JKCI) Festival 2026 welcomed tobacco industry representatives, premium cigar buyers and delegates from 11 countries, highlighting Jember’s role as the home of Indonesia’s renowned Besuki Na-Oogst tobacco, widely used in premium cigars.
Delegates from the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Ethiopia, Hong Kong (China), China, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Australia, Belgium and France attended the two-day festival from 31 July to 1 August at Tebing Botani Café and Watu Ulo Beach in Jember, East Java.
The event showcased Indonesian premium cigars produced from locally grown tobacco while giving international visitors a comprehensive view of the industry’s value chain, from tobacco cultivation and processing to the production of export-ready cigars.
Jember Regent Muhammad Fawait said the festival is part of the regency’s long-term strategy to strengthen Jember’s position as a centre of Indonesia’s premium cigar industry while encouraging downstream processing to create higher-value tobacco products.
Rather than exporting raw tobacco, the regency aims to expand its premium cigar industry to increase the value of local tobacco, improve price stability and enhance farmers’ incomes. Mr Fawait said the government hopes JKCI will help establish Jember as a leading destination for the global premium cigar industry.
The festival also brought together cigar enthusiasts, manufacturers, exporters, academics and business partners, creating opportunities for international trade, investment and industry collaboration.
PT BIN Cigar President Director Imam Wahid Wahyudi said the company co-organised the festival with the Jember Regency Government to promote Indonesian premium cigars in international markets. Mr Wahyudi said this year’s strong international attendance reflected growing global interest in premium cigars produced in Jember.
Beyond promoting Indonesia’s cigar industry, the festival generated economic activity for Jember, East Java, supporting hotels, restaurants, transport operators, tourist attractions and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), while raising the international profile of one of Indonesia’s best-known tobacco-producing regions.
Source: ANTARA News
