Bangkalan Ulama Highlights Haji Her's Contributions to Tobacco Farmers: Prices Higher Than Factory Sales

BANGKALAN, KOMPAS.com - The growth of the local cigarette industry across four regencies on Madura Island, East Java, has boosted the morale of tobacco farmers.

Especially since the rise in the number of local cigarette factories, raw tobacco prices have increased.

Ulama in Bangkalan and founder of the Madura Tobacco Farmers, Traders, and Entrepreneurs Association (P4TM), KH Syafik Rofi'i, said that one key figure contributing to the welfare of tobacco farmers in Madura is Khairul Umam, popularly known as Haji Her.

According to him, before local factories started purchasing tobacco from farmers, the price of dry tobacco had plummeted. At that time, tobacco prices ranged from only Rp 15,000 to Rp 25,000 per kilogram.

"Back then, prices fell because the tobacco was sent to large cigarette factories in Java. So, these brokers would buy tobacco from Madura farmers at very low prices," he said on Saturday (19/9/2026).

Factory brokers often intimidate farmers

He added that these tobacco factory brokers frequently intimidated farmers to sell their tobacco. Fearful, farmers ended up selling their dry tobacco at the prices set by the brokers.

"These brokers would often threaten by saying the warehouses would soon be closed. The farmers, afraid, would then sell their tobacco cheaply fearing it wouldn't sell otherwise," he explained.

From this situation, KH Syafik said that Haji Her was inspired to negotiate together with the Madura Ulama Pesantren Fellowship Body (Bassra).

The two parties agreed to establish P4TM with a commitment to improve the welfare of local farmers.

"From there, everyone united and agreed to collect tobacco from the farmers," he said.

Tobacco prices soar since P4TM was established

Since P4TM, chaired by Haji Her, was founded, farmers’ tobacco is purchased at much higher prices ranging from Rp 60,000 to Rp 90,000 per kilogram.

"The higher tobacco prices have encouraged farmers to continue planting tobacco, so to this day, tobacco farmers still operate in Sumenep, Pamekasan, Sampang, and Bangkalan," he added.

The abundant tobacco harvest has been matched by the proliferation of cigarette factories in the four regencies on Madura. Thus, tobacco from local farmers can be absorbed and produced by the Madura community itself.

"As these local factories grew, expensive cigarettes were naturally pushed out of the market because Madura's tobacco products are just as competitive," he said.

Now, he hopes the government will provide protection for the local cigarette factories in Madura by simplifying the process of obtaining excise stamps.

"We hope for support especially to help us secure cigarette excise permits properly. These local cigarette factories are very beneficial for the Madura community," he concluded.