Danau Toba Fish Farmer Appeals to Purbaya Over Production Licence Cap
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa chaired an investment debottlenecking meeting addressing the polemic over the tilapia aquaculture quota in Lake Toba. In the meeting, PT Aqua Farm Nusantara, a tilapia producer, complained that the rules hinder their operations and expansion.
Representatives of Aqua Farm explained that the company has operated in Lake Toba since 1998 and currently holds a production licence of 34,314 tonnes per year. However, they are constrained by Presidential Regulation No. 60 of 2021, which limits tilapia production in Lake Toba to 10,000 tonnes per year.
“Presidential Regulation No. 60 of 2021 states that in 2021 the production of fisheries is capped at 10,000 tonnes per year. And this is not in sync with the licences we already hold. PT Aqua Nusantara has licences to produce 34,314 tonnes,” said Aqua Farm Director Tri Dharma during the meeting at the Ministry of Finance, on Tuesday 19 May 2026.
“And we have been in Lake Toba since 1998. That means we have operated earlier than the provisions of the Perpres. This is what concerns us, how it will affect future investments,” he added.
Tri added that there is a 2023 North Sumatra Governor decree setting Lake Toba’s capacity at 60,000 tonnes per year. The discrepancy in rules is said to create investment uncertainty.
According to Tri, Aqua Farm, also known as Regal Springs Indonesia, has already invested US$100 million in the country. Business revenue reached US$62 million with tax contributions around US$1 million and is expected to grow with business development. Moreover, tilapia has positive prospects with overseas markets.
In response to the controversy, Purbaya decided that Aqua Farm could continue to operate in Lake Toba amid the quota debate. The decision was taken while the government completes a reassessment of Lake Toba’s carrying capacity.
“For now, PT Aqua can produce at the current level using the grandfather clause. But until this study is finished and its results known, we will use the study results as the final reference for the capacity in Lake Toba,” Purbaya said in the meeting.
Purbaya also urged the carrying capacity reassessment to be accelerated through LPDP research funding. He said the study would require around Rp 200 million.
He then requested that the study proposal be submitted via BRIN so that the funding can be disbursed quickly. He targeted administrative completion within about a week, ahead of the ensuing two- to three-month environmental study.
“Later send a letter via BRIN, BRIN to LPDP, then LPDP processes quickly for the cost of the research of Rp 200 million,” concluded Purbaya.