The Indonesian Tobacco Farmers Association (APTI) asked the government to place controls on the amount of imported tobacco to encourage local purchases, the Jakarta Post said.

Imports should account for no more than 20 per cent of total tobacco used by a company in manufacturing, APTI chief Agus Parmuji reportedly said in a recent meeting with President Joko Widodo. An increase in imported tobacco has reduced demand for domestic leaf, thereby lowering prices paid to growers, the newspaper said.