Tobacco Asia

Tobacco Asia 59 ers. InterTabac 2025 marked PTPN1's second appearance at the show. "We noticed that inquiries for some tobacco types waned, while inquiries for Be- suki were increasing," Indri noted. "I will report that to our director. Maybe we can use this development as an opportunity for ramping up our Besuki production." The company is also venturing into cigar manufacturing. "We created our own brand of premium cigars earlier this year," Indri said. "For now, it's only for the Indonesian market. But eventually, we'd like to market it in Europe and other Asian countries. The USA will be very difficult to enter, though, because of the complicated paperwork." Despite being part of a state-owned group, PTPN1 operates with a surprising degree of agility. "We may not be a giant in this industry," Indri remarked. "Yet we possess something truly unique—authenticity. Our to- bacco is cultivated in the same soil, nurtured by the same hands, and passed down through generations, preserving an Indonesian legacy of craftsmanship and tradition." She added, "We take great pride in our farmers as well as the dedicated experts within PTPN1. Through this close collaboration, we are able to achieve the finest quality tobacco production. Within this model, PTPN1 plays an active role by providing technical support, necessary facilities and infrastructure, and continuous guidance to ensure optimal results. It's a partnership, not just a transaction." Indri also emphasized the importance of traceability. "Buyers today want to know where their tobacco comes from. We can trace every single bale back to the farmer and the field. That's some- thing our clients appreciate." Laeli Fadli Arif, senior executive vice president, said, "At PTPN I, we believe that tobacco is not only part of our heritage but also a strategic commodity that connects Indonesia with the global cigar industry. Our com- mitment is to ensure that the tobacco we produce—whether Besuki TBN from Java or Sumatra leaf from our estates—continues to play a vital role in premium cigar blends around the world. Through consistent innovation, implementation of modern agricultural practices, and dedication to sustain- ability, we are confident that PTPN I tobacco will maintain its international reputation and competitive advantage. Our participation in InterTabac is a clear demonstration of our determination to strengthen our branding, expand global networks, and remain responsive to the dynamic changes in the global tobacco market." Adiyaman Tobacco Cooperative: Turkey's semi-oriental gem "Whoever you talk to in Turkey, if you ask them what they know about [the town of] Adiyaman, the answer will be 'tobacco'," said Onat Can Zeytin, head of sales at Adiyaman Tobacco Cooperative. Located in the mountainous east- ern Anatolian region near Gaziantep, Adiyaman is synonymous with semi- oriental tobacco—a variety often confused with its more common cousin, oriental. "But there's a big difference between the two varietals," Onat assert- ed. "Oriental is primarily from the region around Izmir in Turkey's southwest. It's easy to process for cigarettes and cheaper. But our product is semi-ori- ental—big leaves, big stems, and a unique taste. It's its own specific variety." The cooperative comprises over 800 farmer members, each cultivat- ing small plots averaging 20-25 acres. "We are a very mountainous region," Onat said. "There's not much flat arable land. It's like small patches here and there. But tobacco is our farmer families' primary source of income." The cooperative's own processing plant handles around 800,000 kilograms of semi-oriental tobacco per season on a single shift basis. "If we increase the plant's capacity, the total volume can rise even higher," Onat explained. "With additional shifts we can easily scale up production whenever needed. And in our region, there is plenty of high-quality tobacco available to meet much greater demand." Until recently, the cooperative's reach was largely domestic. "Our region is not wealthy," Onat said. "There are not many investors or com- panies that want to try and export. We are the first local company trying to export internationally." InterTabac 2025 was a strategic move to expand into the international arena; and the cooperative's first appearance at the world's largest tobacco in- dustry show. "We want to expand our customer base," Onat said. "We want to enter other markets because we want them to know about this superi- or product. It's such good quality—it's a pity that nobody tried until now." The cooperative also produces its own fine- cut tobacco brand, Kirsal, for self-rolling. "It's available everywhere in Turkey," Onat said. "But I've never seen it in Europe, although there's a huge Turkish community, especially in Germany. That's why we're aiming to start with Germany first." Kirsal is ready for export, with yellow, blue, and red labels fully compliant with EU TPD and local regulations. "We strive to begin working with interested distributors in Germany and be- yond soon," Onat said. Apart from end consumer-ready fine cut, leaf remains a core focus also. In addition to semi-oriental, the cooperative also has the ability to process oriental tobaccos from Izmir, Samsun, and Hatay, which are in strong demand in Asian markets. "We are flexible," Onat emphasized. "We can fulfil leaf orders, even create blends right here at our cooperative to meet customer needs across different tobacco types." Another strength of the cooperative is full traceability. Every batch can be tracked back to the farmer and the exact field where it was grown. This gives the coopera- tives' customers full transparency and confidence in the tobaccos' authenticity. Onat Can Zeytin, head of sales, Adiyaman Tobacco Cooperative. Credit: Thomas Schmid

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