Agrinas to Manage Merah Putih Village Cooperative for Two Years, Then Hand Over to Villages

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara will manage the Merah Putih Village and Sub-district Cooperative during its initial operational phase. The management will last for the first two years.

Minister of Villages and Underdeveloped Regions Yandri Susanto stated that after this period, management will be handed over to the village governments.

“Its operationalisation will temporarily be handled by Agrinas. For two years. Then it will be fully handed over to the villages,” said Yandri at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs, Jakarta, on Tuesday (31/3/2026).

Echelon I officials from the Ministry of Villages and Underdeveloped Regions, the Ministry of Cooperatives, and Agrinas will discuss the details of each party’s roles.

“Their task is in terms of operationalisation,” Yandri said.

President Director of PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara Joao Angelo De Sousa Mota stated that the management will be conducted professionally with digitalisation support.

Village cooperative administrators will still be involved in the supervision and control system.

During the first two years, 97% of the cooperative’s profits will be handed over to the village governments.

“It can be used to buy LPG cylinders, to buy medicines, to buy stationery, to buy electricity tokens, and rice or other staple goods,” said Joao.

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan said that the development of cooperatives is progressing steadily. Currently, 3,505 warehouse units and outlets have been completed.

The government will soon hold a ceremony to open thousands of these units.

“Hopefully by June we can reach 80,000; after 80,000 we will data them all,” said Zulhas.