Minister: President to Launch Operations of 1,000 Village Cooperatives in May

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono has stated that the government plans to launch the operations of 1,000 Kopdes Merah Putih village/ward cooperatives, scheduled to be inaugurated directly by President Prabowo Subianto on 16 May 2026.

Ferry told reporters in Jakarta on Monday that a meeting had been held at the Ministry of Villages and Underdeveloped Regions Development Office. The meeting was attended by the Coordinating Minister for Food, the Deputy Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and the President Director of Agrinas Pangan Nusantara.

During the meeting, it was conveyed that the launch plan would take place in Nganjuk Regency, East Java. However, Ferry emphasised that the plan remains tentative.

He explained that the cooperatives whose operations will be launched are part of thousands of cooperatives whose physical construction has been completed.

“Those whose operations will be launched number approximately 1,000 cooperatives out of around 7,200 cooperatives that have completed 100 percent of their physical construction, warehouses, outlets, and equipment,” he said.

In addition, he mentioned that there are around 25,000 other cooperatives currently in the construction phase.

The government, he continued, is now focusing on the operational aspects of the cooperatives so that they can run as soon as possible.

He stated that the Kopdes Merah Putih are expected not only to serve as economic instruments but also to provide direct benefits to rural communities.

In response to the possibility of delays in cooperative operations because only 1,000 units are being launched, he emphasised that the implementation of the cooperatives will be carried out in stages.

“No, this is gradual,” he said.

In addition to preparing the cooperative operations, the government is currently conducting the recruitment process for Kopdes Merah Putih managers, which has now entered the competency test stage. The government has scheduled the announcement of the final selection results on 7 June 2026.

Participants who pass will then undergo basic military training for reserve components (Komcad), as well as managerial and field competency briefing before being placed in the cooperatives.