Bandarlampung Reports 65 Red and White Village Cooperatives Now Operational

The Bandarlampung City Government has stated that 65 Koperasi Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih (KDKMP) in the city are now operating various business units to meet community needs. “There are 120 KDKMP that have been formed in this city, and around 65 cooperatives are now operating their business outlets,” said Riana Apriana, Head of the Bandarlampung City Cooperatives and SMEs Office, on Saturday. She noted that the operational outlets are in diverse conditions, with some occupying permanent buildings, others using sub-district offices, and some borrowing or renting business premises. “So, not all of the running cooperatives have permanent buildings yet,” she said. She explained that the operational KDKMP are running various types of businesses, including the sale of rice, LPG, SME products, drinking water, and other basic necessities. “However, a constraint faced by cooperatives that have not yet opened businesses is limited capital. Several cooperatives are still prioritising savings and loan services before developing trading units,” she said. Nevertheless, she added that the city government continues to direct the established cooperatives to gradually open businesses so that the benefits can be felt by the community. “The existence of the Koperasi Merah Putih is expected to drive growth and stimulate the community’s economy. Besides providing access to savings and loan services, the cooperatives also serve as a marketing platform for SME products at prices more affordable than market rates,” she said.