On July 5, 2025, the Uzbek parliament passed the first reading of a law requiring farmers to plant crops on the edges of fields, otherwise they will face fines and a threefold increase in taxes on the entire area of land.
According to the law, farmers who do not sow crops along the edges of their fields or near irrigation and drainage systems by April 1 each year may face the following penalties:
- A threefold increase in land tax on the entire area of their agricultural land.
- Fines ranging from 5 to 10 times the basic calculation amount (BCA), depending on whether they are individuals or officials.
- Suspension of agricultural loans (generally given at a preferential rate).
The new bill has sparked debate in parliament, with some seeing it as a step toward food security and others warning that it could hurt farmers already struggling economically.
A representative of the Ministry of Agriculture who presented the law in parliament said that the law is based on a presidential decree aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and ensuring food security through more efficient use of land.
The bill was supported by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the National Revival Party.
Alisher Kodirov, leader of the Milli Tikalish party, said: “We must ensure the effective use of every inch of land to protect national food security.”
Akhtam Khaityov, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party and head of the Farmers’ Council (an organization nominally representing the interests of farmers), also supported the adoption of the law, arguing that it would motivate farmers, while the formation of local working groups, comprising the district police chief and prosecutor, would ensure its “fair“ implementation.
Several MPs spoke out against the law, arguing that it imposes unilateral obligations without offering any support mechanisms. “Even one hectare of unused land could lead to a threefold increase in tax on 100 hectares, making the fines disproportionate,” said the leader of the People’s Democratic Party, Ulugbek Inoyatov. In addition, the law violates international legal norms by applying three separate penalties for one offense.
Experts see this law as further strengthening state and bureaucratic control over farmers, whose property rights are constantly being violated. Economist Otabek Bakirov fears that the law will encourage corruption by creating new law enforcement agencies with excessive powers.
The law should encourage the voluntary use of field margins through incentives rather than fines, according to farmer and activist Kamoliddin Ikramov. He said there is no clear legal definition of “field margins,” raising concerns that the law will be applied arbitrarily and potentially abused. In addition, the high cost of seedlings and the lack of water for irrigation will lead to further impoverishment of farmers.
Journalist Kobil Khidirov summed up the mood: “Those sitting in parliament under air conditioning are passing sentences on farmers working at 45 °C, without listening to their voices or understanding life in the fields.”
At a parliamentary session on July 5, a majority (89) of the 128 deputies voted in favor of the law, which is likely to be adopted in the near future.
Update
On July 15, 2025 Parliament adopted a revised version of the law that softens penalties for not using land on the edges of farmers’ fields.
According to the adopted amendments, the mandatory crop or tree cultivation applies only to land located around “canals, irrigation systems, and collector-drainage networks along the edges of fields.”
The increased land tax (at three times the regular rate) will be applied not to the entire area, but only to the unused portion of the land.
Fines for not using the edges of fields will apply only to subtenants and will range from 1 to 3 base units, reduced from 10 base units in the first reading of the law. The imposition of fines has been delayed until July 1, 2026.
Sources:
https://kun.uz/kr/news/2025/07/07/huquqsizlikdan-sillasi-qurigan-fermerlar-uchun-navbatdagi-sinov
