BPOM to Ease Licensing for MSMEs Entering 'Red and White' Village Cooperatives

Jakarta - The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has confirmed it will simplify the licensing process for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) so their products can be marketed through the ‘Red and White’ Village Cooperatives (Kopdes Merah Putih).

Head of BPOM Taruna Ikrar stated that this move is part of the agency’s support for the Kopdes Merah Putih programme, which is one of the government’s priority initiatives. “We will simplify the licensing, but the standards must not drop. We will look for ways to accelerate the process,” Taruna said at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Wednesday.

According to him, BPOM will continue to uphold product safety and quality standards despite the expedited licensing process. This effort aims to enable more MSME products, including those from rural areas, to enter the Kopdes Merah Putih network. He added that the number of licensing applications from MSMEs received by BPOM is already quite high.

BPOM will also conduct screening of products to be marketed through Kopdes Merah Putih. This screening covers both local and imported products. However, the government will prioritise domestic products for marketing through the cooperative. “We are more focused on our domestic products. But when it comes to pharmaceutical products, we know that the majority of raw materials are still imported,” Taruna said.

He affirmed that BPOM is ready to provide full support to ensure the successful implementation of the Kopdes Merah Putih programme, including through accelerated licensing services and product quality supervision.