Minister of Cooperatives: Village cooperatives open opportunities to advance local products and SMEs

Surabaya - The Minister of Cooperatives, Ferry Juliantono, stated that the existence of the Village/Sub-district Red and White Cooperatives (KDKMP) opens up significant opportunities to advance local products and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). “What is sold (in the KDKMP outlets), our hope is that we offer to MSME actors, we curate and then incubate them,” he said in a statement received in Surabaya, East Java, on Sunday. Ferry explained that in general, KDKMP outlets will sell staples to medicines, as well as needs and potentials in each region. Nevertheless, these 83,000 KDKMPs across Indonesia can also serve as platforms for selling local products and MSMEs. Ferry urged Indonesians not to fear creating their own products, including not worrying or being confused about the product marketing process. “I’m not belittling our capabilities, in the past when MSMEs made products, they were afraid and worried that they wouldn’t sell in modern retail, exporting was complicated, ultimately diminishing our confidence in making our own products,” he said. He wants Indonesians to create creative products and sell them in KDKMP outlets in their respective regions. In fact, according to Ferry, people can start by making simple products like soap, shampoo, detergent, chilli sauce, soy sauce, sauce, food, bread, and so on. Later, he said, the government and partners will incubate and curate these local products so that they are viable and have added value for sale on KDKMP outlet shelves. He mentioned that the Revolving Fund Management Institution (LPDB) and large-scale cooperatives like the Indonesian Port Cooperatives (Kopelindo) also have opportunities to assist and provide financing for MSME products. “I guarantee that those products will be prioritised and sold in all KDKMP outlets. Come on, let’s build our confidence to create local products in our respective regions,” said Ferry. He emphasised that if the public can massively and actively create local products until they become products sold in KDKMP and consumed by the community, sustainable economic circulation will occur. That activity, he added, will also be able to create very broad employment opportunities, especially for Generation Z and Millennials who currently need jobs. “Don’t be afraid it won’t sell, I assure you that these curated and incubated local products will be placed on the front shelves in KDKMP,” said Ferry.