Zulhas Unveils 'Red and White Fishermen's Village' Plan to Shield Fishermen from Middlemen

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan has emphasised that the construction of the ‘Red and White Fishermen’s Village’ (KNMP) is a government effort to improve the welfare of fishermen. Zulhas assessed that fishermen have historically lacked bargaining power for their fish due to manipulation by middlemen. “Just imagine, our fishermen are hardworking; they go to sea and catch fish. They get a lot of fish, but once they reach land, they have no bargaining power. The middlemen play games,” Zulhas said after a limited coordination meeting with Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono and other officials at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) office in Jakarta. The government is targeting the construction of 1,369 Red and White Fishermen’s Villages throughout 2026. This effort is a step to strengthen fishermen’s welfare while increasing the productivity of the fisheries sector through the provision of more modern and integrated infrastructure. Zulhas stated that the programme is an idea of President Prabowo Subianto, implemented through the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, to comprehensively improve the fisheries business system from upstream to downstream. According to him, fishermen are often able to obtain abundant catches when at sea. However, they frequently lose bargaining power when selling fish due to limited storage and marketing facilities. This situation forces fishermen to often sell their catch to middlemen at low prices because the fish must be marketed immediately before its quality deteriorates or it rots. Through the Red and White Fishermen’s Village, the government is building auction halls, cold storage facilities, ice plants, boat moorings, and connecting distribution channels to wider, integrated markets. With these facilities, fishermen have the option to store their catch when prices are low, so they are no longer forced to sell fish to middlemen at a loss. “So if a fisherman brings a lot of fish and is offered a low price by a middleman, he can refuse to sell and store it in the cold storage first. If it still doesn’t sell, the cooperative can buy it in cooperation with the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG),” Zulhas explained. Furthermore, he mentioned that the fishermen’s exchange rate currently stands at 103, whereas the rice farmers’ exchange rate has increased to 127 following various government programmes to strengthen the agricultural sector. He noted that the Red and White Fishermen’s Villages already in operation have shown positive results, with a productivity increase of up to 30 percent and regional economic growth ranging from 5.4 to 16 percent. The government is optimistic that if the programme runs according to target, the fishermen’s exchange rate can increase to surpass 120 within two years, thereby strengthening and sustaining the welfare of coastal communities. Zulhas added that construction of the villages is ongoing, with 65 areas already realised. He stated that the target is to soon approach 100 villages as part of the acceleration towards the goal of 1,369 KNMP.