Village Cooperatives Could Collaborate with Private Retailers

Minister of Cooperatives, Ferry Juliantono, stated that Village Cooperatives (Koperasi Desa Merah Putih) can collaborate with anyone, including private retailers such as Indomaret and Alfamart. This partnership is intended to accommodate products that cannot yet be provided by local Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

“Of course, we can collaborate on the production of goods that are already produced by private companies,” he said when met at the Bank Mega Tower on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

The presence of these two retailers depends on the regulations in each region, as both Alfamart and Indomaret have expanded to rural areas.

The Village Cooperatives must compete with these increasingly numerous private retailers. Regarding collaboration, Ferry claims to have communicated with the management of Indomaret and Alfamart.

Previously, the Minister of Village and Underdeveloped Regions, Yandri Susanto, stated that Alfamart and Indomaret have significantly impacted local shops and MSMEs. The presence of each retailer has reached more than 20,000 units throughout Indonesia.

However, these cooperatives are also similar to private retailers, selling various basic necessities. Other products sold include fertilizers and LPG gas.

“Therefore, the presence of Village Cooperatives is indeed the best solution,” he said during a Working Meeting with Commission V of the DPR RI in Jakarta on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.

The government targets building 80,000 of these cooperatives within two years. Currently, there are approximately 24,000 units, and the target is to reach 30,000 units in the first quarter of 2026.