East Kalimantan prevents illegal seed distribution through strict oversight

Samarinda (ANTARA) - The East Kalimantan Provincial Plantation Agency has successfully prevented the distribution of illegal seeds through strict oversight involving multiple stakeholders, from the public and farmers to law enforcement and provincial-level officers. As a result, no cases of counterfeit seed distribution have been detected over the past two years.

“The impact of strict oversight and synergy with many parties, supported by strong regulations, means that from 2024 to February this year there have been no reported cases of illegal seed distribution,” said Eka Rini Elvianti, Head of the Seed Supervision and Testing Technical Unit at the East Kalimantan Plantation Agency, in Samarinda on Thursday.

Under Law No. 12/1992 on Crop Cultivation Systems, anyone who deliberately distributes cultivated seeds that do not conform to their labels may face imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of Rp250 million. If the distribution results from negligence, the penalty is up to 12 months’ imprisonment and a fine of Rp50 million.

These regulations are particularly important in providing protection for seed users — both smallholder farmers and large companies — of oil palm seeds, enabling them to produce higher-quality products with greater productivity.

With regard to sustainable plantation development, there are also regulations governing seed management to give planters easier access to superior seeds, such as Minister of Agriculture Regulation No. 50/2015, which governs the production, certification, distribution and supervision of plantation crop seeds. The regulation was issued to ensure the sustainable availability of quality seeds, whether through generative or vegetative propagation, with the aim of supporting continuous plantation crop development.

“There is also Minister of Agriculture Decree No. 4/2025, East Kalimantan Regional Regulation No. 7/2018 on Sustainable Plantation Development, and East Kalimantan Governor Regulation No. 22/2023 on Plantation Crop Seed Guidelines,” she said.

These various regulations have also helped generate new enthusiasm and employment opportunities on the upstream side, as evidenced by the increase in the number of licensed oil palm nursery seed producers in East Kalimantan Province.

“In the period 2017–2023, there were 7 seed producers, while from 2024 to February 2026 this has grown to 11 additional producers, bringing the current total to 18 licensed producers. The larger number of seed producers naturally also helps suppress illegal seed distribution,” she said.

Previously, during a socialisation event on seed distribution oversight and the use of certified and labelled superior seeds in Long Ikis District, Paser Regency, she also provided farmers with an understanding of the importance of using certified superior seeds and monitoring seed distribution, in order to prevent the circulation of illegal seeds.