Central Java Governor: 64% of Merah Putih Cooperatives Are Operational
Sukoharjo (ANTARA) – Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi said at least 64 per cent of the province’s 8,523 Merah Putih Cooperatives were operational.
“Thankfully, we have exceeded the target set by the central government. Teams are still working in the field, and we are continuing to push for faster progress,” he said in Sukoharjo on Tuesday, while accompanying Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan and Trade Minister Budi Santoso on a working visit.
The visit covered Merah Putih Village/Urban-Ward Cooperatives (KDKMP) in Purbayan, Kadilangu and Menuran villages in Baki sub-district, Sukoharjo, to assess their readiness to conduct business.
Luthfi said the Central Java Provincial Government was speeding up the verification and validation of KDKMP outlets to ensure that buildings, facilities and infrastructure, and administrative requirements were ready before operations began.
As of 12 October 2026, 8,523 KDKMP had been established. Of these, 5,427, or about 64 per cent, were operational, while the remaining 3,096 were still being prepared.
On infrastructure, 5,895 KDKMP buildings had been completed, putting Central Java in second place nationally. In Sukoharjo regency, 151 of the 167 village cooperative buildings had been completed.
Luthfi said 4,230 KDKMP had been prioritised for verification, with progress reaching 61.67 per cent by 30 September 2026.
Alongside verification, the provincial government is preparing phased training and competency certification for 5,040 KDKMP treasurers, from October to the end of November 2026.
Cooperatives are also being strengthened through the facilitation of business contacts in 35 regencies and cities, the development of commercial partnerships, and support for governance and the marketing of local products.
Purbayan village, for example, has potential businesses including wood-ear mushroom cultivation, rambak crackers, melinjo chips, vegetables managed by the Family Welfare Movement (PKK), and wayang crafts.
The programme began at KDKMP Purbayan with the symbolic distribution of rice assistance to 10 recipients, an inspection of the cooperative’s outlet and warehouse, transactions, and a low-cost food market featuring micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) products.
Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan said KDKMP development was part of the government’s effort to spread economic growth more evenly to villages and urban wards.
He said constructing cooperative buildings was only the first step. The facilities must be followed by business activities that meet community needs.
KDKMP are intended to become centres for meeting local needs, providing food, subsidised fertiliser and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), financial services, and marketing for farmers’ and MSMEs’ products.
The government is also preparing to fund one cooperative manager for two years. After that period, the cooperatives are expected to be able to run their businesses independently.