Jember, East Java (ANTARA) – Representatives of tobacco processing companies from 11 countries, including the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Ethiopia, China, and France, attended the Jember Cigar City Indonesia (JKCI) Festival.”Thank God, JKCI 2026 has been an extraordinary success. It is part of our efforts to promote Jember as Indonesia's cigar capital,” Jember District Head Muhammad Fawait said in a statement here on Sunday.The two-day event, held from July 31 to August 1, 2026, showcased premium cigars produced from Jember's finest tobacco plantations.”We are not only talking about raw tobacco leaves, but also their downstream products in the form of high-quality cigars. JKCI 2026 serves as a catalyst to encourage the downstreaming of local tobacco commodities while introducing the region's tourism potential to the international stage,” he said.The annual festival has become a strategic meeting point for industry players, business partners, academics, and international delegates.Through the event, visitors had the opportunity to explore the entire production chain, from tobacco cultivation and processing techniques to the manufacture of premium cigars ready to compete in the global market.”JKCI 2026 was attended by cigar enthusiasts, buyers, and foreign delegates from 11 countries, including the United States and several Asian countries. Their presence demonstrates the growing international recognition of Jember's tobacco and cigar industry,” he said.Fawait highlighted the importance of developing downstream tobacco industries to generate greater added value for the regional economy, particularly for the welfare of tobacco farmers in Jember.He noted that Jember's tobacco has long been exported primarily as a raw commodity. Through the cigar industry, the value of tobacco can increase significantly, helping maintain stable prices at the farm level.”In the past, we mainly sold raw tobacco. Now, by processing it into cigars, the added value is much greater. JKCI is the largest event of its kind in Asia, and we hope Jember will eventually become the world's cigar hub,” he said.