Village co-ops to boost people's prosperity by Rp223 trillion: Prabowo

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto noted that the Red and White Village Cooperatives are projected to boost people's prosperity by up to Rp223 trillion annually through strengthening village economies and streamlining supply chains."We project that the cooperatives can improve people's prosperity by Rp223 trillion (approximately US$12.3 billion) each year, with that money circulating directly within the villages," Prabowo said at the main celebration of the 79th National Cooperative Day in Jakarta on Sunday.

Prabowo added that the village cooperatives are also estimated to increase producers' incomes by up to Rp202 trillion per year, particularly benefiting farmers, livestock breeders, and fishers through village-based economic empowerment.

According to him, the government designed the cooperatives as an integrated hub for rural economic services. The planned facilities include cooperative offices, grocery stores, savings and loan services, village pharmacies, logistics warehouses, and cold storage units to preserve the quality of agricultural and fishery products.

He noted that the cooperatives will run pharmacies that offer generic medicines that are more affordable, allowing village communities to have better healthcare access.

"Subsidized goods for the public must not be commercialized, ensuring that those who need them are the ones who receive them," he said.

In addition, the government will establish fishing cooperatives in various coastal villages, equipped with cold storage units, ice factories, and large, jointly managed fishing vessels.

This scheme, he added, is expected to bolster the economic independence of coastal communities while ensuring that cooperatives operate as sustainable economic institutions.

The president further noted that the village cooperatives are part of the government's strategy to shorten distribution chains, increase products' added value, and sustainably strengthen village economies.