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ome 2,000 tobacco farmers and artisans in Klaten regency, Central Java, staged a rally on Tuesday demanding that the government revise Articles 10 and 11 of Government Regulation (PP) No 109/2012 on the security of materials containing addictive ingredients, as the rule could threaten their livelihoods.

The farmers, who came from the eight districts of Manisrenggo, Prambanan, Gantiwarno, Jogonalan, Trucuk, Pedan, Ceper and Bayat, demanded that the regency administration act as a bridge for farmers to connect with the central government.

“There is no explicit ban on the farmers to plant tobacco but the articles will certainly cause problems for tobacco farmers sooner or later,” said Joko Laksono of the National Coalition of Kretek Saviors (KNPK).

Joko said the two articles disadvantaged local farmers and gave advantages to imported tobacco.

He said the requirement of testing the tar and nicotine content in tobacco through an accredited laboratory was impossible for local farmers to meet because it required big expenses.

“If the standardization is applied, who will buy our tobacco? We won’t be able to afford the required test,” Joko said.

He expressed assurances that if the regulation was effective, local tobacco products that currently dominated some 90 percent of cigarette products in the country would soon be replaced with imported tobacco, which presently only contributed some 7 percent to the country’s cigarette products.

He also said he was not satisfied with Klaten Regent Sunarna’s support for the farmers’ demands, saying that the group would continue to provide monthly supervision until the central government really revised the two articles.

Joko said the farmers would stage a bigger rally and would later refuse to pay taxes should the central government fail to meet with their demand.

“We give 18 months for the government to do so, just as required for the regulation to be effective. But while waiting, we will keep asking the government every month to make the revision,” he said.

Spokesperson from the Association of Klaten Tobacco Farmers (APTIK) Juwandi said there were some 3,000 farmers in the regency whose livelihoods depended on tobacco.

Klaten is home to some 7,000 hectares of tobacco plantations, with superior products including Noas (No), Virginia and Vorstenland tobacco. Tobacco products contributed some Rp 8.9 billion (US$924,000) to the regency’s income through excise.

“We have superior tobacco products in Klaten. The labor wage is also good, Rp 50,000 per day plus lunch. Farmers might not earn much if they don’t plant tobacco,” said Juwandi who plants tobacco on his 6 hectares of rented fields.

Sunarna and regency legislative council speaker Agus Riyanto said they would convey the farmers’ demands to the central government through the provincial administration.