Jakarta – The government continues to strengthen the role of village cooperatives as a driving force for the national economy by encouraging the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperative (Kopdes Merah Putih) to penetrate the global market. This effort is considered strategic for expanding Indonesia’s export base and ensuring the benefits of international trade are felt down to the village level.
Trade Minister Budi Santoso emphasized that the Ministry is ready to facilitate Kopdes Merah Putih (Red and White Village Cooperative) to enter the export market sustainably. He stated that village cooperatives have significant potential to become a vital part of the global supply chain, particularly through the development of superior products based on local potential.
As a first step, the government has launched the first export of processed cocoa products produced by the Red and White Village Cooperative in Jembrana, Bali. This first export demonstrates the government’s commitment to paving the way for village cooperatives to focus not only on the domestic market but also on international competition.
“We want exports to extend beyond cities to villages. This means that exports shouldn’t just be limited to large companies, but also to MSMEs and the Merah Putih Village Cooperative,” said Budi Santoso.
He explained that the government will provide various entrepreneurship training programs for cooperative employees and members in the future. This training will include improving managerial capacity, business management, and specialized training to meet export standards and requirements in the global market. With this support, village cooperatives are expected to be able to maintain product quality, supply consistency, and compliance with international regulations.
According to Budi, the Merah Putih Village Cooperative serves not only as a village minimarket and agricultural supply provider, but also has the potential to become a center for developing superior village products. These products, such as processed agricultural products, plantations, and crafts, are considered highly competitive if properly packaged and marketed to the global market.
In addition to training, the Ministry of Trade is also ensuring support through Indonesian trade representatives abroad. This facilitation includes trade promotion and business matching programs to expand the village cooperative’s export marketing network. “We will facilitate Kopdes Merah Putih through support from Indonesian trade representatives abroad, including business matching programs,” he explained.
Budi further added that the strategy to increase national exports is not only implemented through strengthening village cooperatives, but also through expanding international trade agreements. “We want to increase our exports. How do we do that? One way is through more trade agreements that can open our market access abroad,” he said.
Through synergy between strengthening village cooperatives, facilitating exports, and opening up access to global markets, the government is optimistic that Kopdes Merah Putih can become a new pillar of inclusive and sustainable national exports. (*)