Malang, East Java (ANTARA) - The government intends the Red and White Village Cooperatives (KDMP) program to serve as a vital instrument for stimulating rural economic growth across Indonesia, Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan affirmed.

“Village cooperatives will serve as distributors of fertilizer, cooking gas, and groceries, as well as a venue for displaying micro, small, and medium enterprise products. In short, such cooperatives hold a critical role in growing rural economies,” he said in Malang District, East Java.

Speaking after reviewing operational preparations of a KDMP in Kedungpedaringan Village on Thursday, Hasan highlighted that President Prabowo Subianto had instructed government aides to accelerate the construction of outlets and supporting facilities for the cooperatives.

“The target is to have 30 thousand village cooperatives operational by June of this year,” the minister added, referring to ongoing physical construction for many of the over 80 thousand cooperatives launched by President Prabowo in July 2025.

The government, he continued, also envisions KDMPs serving as offtakers of agricultural, fishery, and livestock products from their host villages, supplying them to kitchens operating under the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, another key initiative of the Prabowo administration.

“We have devised regulations to support village cooperatives in supplying MBG ingredients,” he stated.

He also praised the military for its contributions to developing the Kedungpedaringan KDMP.

Sigit Mahendra, head of the KDMP, noted that his side had informed locals about the opening plans for the cooperatives, adding that nearly 200 individuals had registered as members.

He highlighted that the cooperative is set to sell cooking gas and staple commodities while also operating a pharmacy and a warehouse for agricultural produce.

Separately, during a KDMP inauguration in Bangka Belitung on Tuesday (Feb. 10), Deputy Minister of Cooperatives Farida Farichah confirmed that around 1,000 of the targeted 30,000 cooperatives have been physically completed.

The target was first announced by Minister Hasan following a coordination meeting in Jakarta on February 5.



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Translator: Ananto P, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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