Jabartoday.com-Pangalengan– The issues related to cooperatives and cattle farmers have received special attention from presidential candidate Anies Baswedan.
Anies is determined to support cattle farmers and cooperative development in Indonesia as the backbone of the nation’s economy.
“So today, we are visiting a milk processing factory that produces cheese, and it is owned by the South Bandung Cattle Farmers Cooperative (KPBS). We see that this approach (ownership and management by cattle cooperatives) is something we should encourage more,” Anies said when inspecting a Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese Factory managed and owned by the South Bandung Cattle Farmers Cooperative (KPBS) in Pengalengan, Bandung Regency, on Wednesday (29/11).
Anies mentioned that if a factory like this is owned by a company, the biggest beneficiaries are the company owners. However, if it is owned by a cooperative, all farmers can benefit.
In the future, according to Anies, the government should further promote the role of cooperatives as the backbone of the nation’s economy, including placing cooperatives in all aspects of community life, for which regulations need to be prepared.
“We will further encourage the government to assist cooperatives, starting with regulations and financial support, so that cooperative members can obtain greater added value,” he added.
During the event, Anies received specific aspirations from the Cattle Farmers Cooperative.
“They conveyed their aspirations, including their first basic needs, which are cattle breeding, and they need support to ensure that cattle breeding receives financial support from the government,” he explained.
“Secondly, we aim to make KPBS even larger, especially now that it has 4,500 members. Imagine if 4,500 farmers within one cooperative are encouraged further; then, farmers will not only sell their milk, but they will also benefit from all milk production activities,” he concluded.(*)
