Cooperative Minister Urges Local Governments to Curate MSMEs to Form Cooperatives
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Minister of Cooperatives, Ferry Juliantino, has requested that local governments conduct a curation of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) within their regions that have the potential to be encouraged to form cooperatives as formal business entities.
Ferry, as quoted from an LPDB press release in Jakarta on Friday, assessed that MSMEs possess the potential to be driven towards forming cooperatives, which would then allow them to receive training, mentoring, incubation, and access to financing.
Ferry stated that the existence of cooperatives could serve as a platform for MSME players, including those in the creative economy and tourism sectors, to develop their business activities in a more organised manner.
“Once the cooperatives are established, we at the Ministry of Cooperatives can provide assistance, incubation, and even financing, because they will have become formal business entities,” he said while opening the Borobudur Expo 2026 at Alun-alun Kota Magelang, Central Java, on Thursday (17/09/2026), responding to opportunities for MSME development around the Borobudur Super Priority Tourism Destination.
He mentioned that this approach could be applied to various business groups and professions, ranging from food entrepreneurs, artisans, and fashion players to art studios and the younger generation, such as illustrators, animators, and content creators.
Ferry also stated that the government possesses the Cooperative Revolving Fund Management Agency (LPDB) Koperasi, which specifically provides financing for cooperatives.
According to him, the formation of cooperatives must be accompanied by the strengthening of the business ecosystem to ensure that the products generated have access to the market.
In the context of the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives, Ferry encouraged cooperatives not only to perform distribution functions but also to act as off-takers that absorb community production, including food, horticulture, livestock, fisheries, and craft products.
He also encouraged the Merah Putting Village/Sub-district Cooperative outlets to become one of the marketing channels for local MSME products.
Through this pattern, Ferry hopes that MSME production, cooperative institutions, financing, and markets can be connected within a single business ecosystem.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Magelang, Damar Prasetyono, stated that activities such as the Borobudur Expo are expected not to stop at increasing visits or transactions during the event, but also to generate new collaborations and open markets for local business players.
“We hope there is economic benefit. New collaborations are formed in every event. There are products that find new markets, MSMEs that find new partners, cooperatives that find new opportunities, and certainly investors who see new potential,” said Damar.