Cooperatives Minister Budi Arie: Agricultural Products from Kopontren in Ciwidey Bandung Can Support MBG Program

Minister of Cooperatives Budi Arie Setiadi reviewed the production capacity of agricultural products in Ciwidey, Bandung Regency. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Cooperatives Minister Budi Arie Setiadi assessed that the agricultural products of the Al-Ittifaq Islamic Boarding School Cooperative (Kopontren) in Ciwidey, Bandung Regency can support the fulfillment of raw material supplies for the free nutritious meal (MBG) program in the Bandung area.

When reviewing the readiness and production capacity of agricultural products in the Al-Ittifaq Kopontren area of ​​Bandung, West Java, Thursday, the Cooperatives Minister said that the agricultural ecosystem and supply chain built by the cooperative were very modern so that they needed to be applied to other cooperatives in various regions in Indonesia.

Budi Arie said that there were around 659,000 prospective beneficiaries of the MBG program in Bandung Regency and around 448,000 people in Bandung City.

The large number of prospective beneficiaries requires the readiness of the supply of food, especially agricultural products such as those produced by the Al-Ittifaq Kopontren.

"For this MBG program, demand is certainly very large, so it is necessary to ensure that cooperatives are involved in the supply chain, because cooperatives have products to be distributed to the MBG Service Unit," said the Cooperatives Minister as quoted from the ministry's press release.

Budi Arie also encouraged Kopontren Al-Ittifaq to supply its agricultural products to other regions in Indonesia if it experiences a production surplus.

Because, according to him, not all regions have sufficient agricultural resources for the MBG program.

Before the official kickoff of the MBG program in January 2025, he stated that the Ministry of Cooperatives would coordinate with agricultural product producer cooperatives, including Kopontren Al-Ittifaq so that it is hoped that there will be a guarantee of supply of raw materials such as rice, vegetables, chicken, eggs, milk and other materials which are products of the cooperative.

Meanwhile, the Head of Kopontren Al-Ittifaq Agus Setia Irawan admitted that he was ready to be part of the supply chain of raw materials, especially agricultural products for the MBG program.

So far, he said, agricultural products from farmers have been absorbed by Kopontren and distributed to modern retail stores.

According to him, the market demand for agricultural products produced is very large that optimal efforts are needed to increase production capacity, especially when Kopontren will be part of the supply chain for the MBG program.

"With collaboration with all parties, God willing, we can meet market demand. We will continue to strive to increase production, especially to support the MBG program," he said.