West Java Police Chief Commits to Protecting Farmers from Exploitative Middlemen
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, INDRAMAYU – The West Java Regional Police have pledged to fully protect farmers from the clutches of middlemen who often cause economic losses. One concrete step taken is by implementing a closed-loop ecosystem.
“There is a crucial issue faced by our farmer groups, namely how to avoid being exploited by middlemen. We have created a closed ecosystem, working with Himbara (a consortium of state-owned banks) and other parties, including Primkopol,” said the Chief of West Java Police, Inspector General Pol Rudi Setiawan, after carrying out a simultaneous corn harvest event in Mekarwaru Village, Gantar District, Indramayu Regency, Saturday (16/5/2026).
In this closed ecosystem scheme, Rudi explained that partner farmers no longer receive working capital or loans in the form of cash. This step is taken to ensure that funds are used effectively for production purposes.
“Currently, farmers no longer receive direct financial assistance. Instead, the assistance is provided in the form of goods, starting from seeds, tools, fertilizers, and so on, including until the harvest,” said Rudi.
Regarding capital, banks under Himbara have disbursed People’s Business Credit (KUR) funds totaling IDR 23.7 billion to partner farmer groups of the West Java Police. In addition to national banks, Primkopol also contributed by providing loan capital ranging from IDR 10 million to IDR 30 million per farmer.
Rudi added that the ecosystem chain is perfected with a guarantee of absorption of harvest yields in the downstream sector. Price security at the farmer level is ensured by involving Perum Bulog and the private sector.
“Thank God, our friends from Bulog are willing to absorb the harvests of our farmer groups. Not only Bulog, we, the Police, also cooperate with the private sector; several animal feed providers also buy our harvest,” he said.
Based on reports from the head of Perum Bulog Divre West Java, there has been a significant increase in the absorption of corn commodities this quarter compared to the same period last year. In fact, Bulog is reported to have successfully distributed and secured reserves of up to 7,000 tons of corn.
Rudi also expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the cooperation and provision of land provided by Perum Perhutani and PTPN. It is recorded that the area of land that has been planted in this phase reaches 12,500 hectares or about 41 percent of the total potential land available.
The strong synergy between the West Java Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), the Indramayu Regency Government, the TNI, the Prosecutor’s Office, and farmers is expected to strengthen food security in the West Java region. “I hope this will continue so that we remain in a position of food self-sufficiency as envisioned by President Prabowo Subianto,” he concluded.