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REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Minister of Cooperatives (Menkop) Ferry Juliantono said the development of Koperasi Desa (Kopdes) Merah Putih is accelerating and generating more benefits for villagers. According to him, the results of the cooperative’s activities are returned directly to its members, most of whom are rural residents. The cooperative also absorbs much of the local workforce, particularly villagers employed as clerks.
“This is in line with the vision of President Prabowo Subianto, who wants Kopdes Merah Putih to play a significant role in driving economic growth at the village level,” Ferry said during the Kopdes Merah Putih Review in Pucangan Village, Montong District, Tuban Regency, East Java, on Saturday (13/9/2025).
In Pucangan alone, around 1,200 villagers have become cooperative members—about 20 percent of the village’s 4,000 working-age population. Ferry expressed hope this number would continue to grow as more people realize the benefits of joining cooperatives.
He noted that Pondok Pesantren (Ponpes) Sunan Drajat, with its vast experience in cooperative ventures, has guided Kopdes Pucangan by mentoring its management and transferring valuable knowledge.
“Kopdes Merah Putih Pucangan is part of a broader initiative to strengthen the economy through village and pesantren-based models, empowering communities via a collective economic system,” Ferry explained.
To further support this effort, the Ministry of Cooperatives is preparing a Business Assistant (BA) program to guide cooperative administrators and employees. Several state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are also involved: BRI provides BRI Link facilities to encourage membership, while Pertamina, ID Food, and Bank Himbara offer training on loan disbursement procedures.
Despite not yet receiving a credit ceiling from Himbara, data from Kopdes Merah Putih’s watchdog shows the cooperative has already recorded a 50 percent profit margin. “This reflects the strong determination of villagers to be productive through cooperatives,” Ferry said.
He also urged local governments to support the growth of Kopdes Merah Putih, noting that over 100 cooperatives are already operating in East Java. In Pucangan, Kopdes activities include producing coconut milk, with turnover estimated to reach hundreds of billions to trillions of rupiah annually.
Ferry emphasized that Kopdes Merah Putih is now entering its operational phase. “Since its establishment by President Prabowo on July 21, there was a three-month deadline. Operations were scheduled for October, but in fact, we’ve already started this September,” he said.
