Get Ready, Conversion of Protected Paddy Fields to Face Fines

The government is preparing technical regulations for imposing fines on protected paddy fields that have already been converted to non-agricultural uses. This stipulation will be regulated in a Draft Government Regulation (RPP). Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan stated that the technical rules will focus on handling paddy fields that have already been converted. Based on preliminary data, from 2019 to 2025, nearly 600,000 hectares of paddy fields have turned into non-paddy areas. Meanwhile, data for the 2010–2019 period is still being compiled. “The technical RPP for fines is currently being formulated. For example, if someone uses productive paddy fields with irrigation, they must replace it three times over, or however it will be formulated,” he explained. He added that the replacement amount will be adjusted according to the land’s productivity level. “This will be finalised by echelon I in the next ten days, then we will proceed to harmonisation,” he said. His side targets the RPP to be completed within one to two months. After that, all violations of paddy field conversions will be required to make replacements according to the provisions. He explained that to date, the government has designated protected paddy fields in eight provinces with a total area of 3,836,944 hectares. In addition, 12 more provinces with an area of 2,739,640.69 hectares have been technically completed and are awaiting determination from the technical ministry. The government targets the completion of protected paddy field designations in the remaining 17 provinces by the second quarter of 2026, with an additional total of around 744,000 hectares. Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasised that this policy is not only punitive but also aims to increase the national paddy field area. “We will make the regulation, but the most important thing is that these paddy fields will have replacements,” he said. The Minister of Agriculture believes this policy can significantly increase the paddy field area. “Hopefully two or three times, meaning we could get 1 million to 2 million hectares. And if this becomes a reality, it will greatly help the country,” Amran added.