Menkop urges Koperasi Laskar Juang into cotton, garment
The cooperative founded by Rieke Diah Pitaloka is being asked to open cotton fields and cut reliance on imported inputs.
Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono urged Koperasi Nasional Laskar Juang Indonesia to build a clothing business from upstream to downstream, from cotton planting and fabric production to garments. He delivered the guidance at the cooperative's inauguration in Denpasar, Bali, on Friday. Ferry said the model could strengthen a Pancasila-based economy because the cooperative would not only sell finished products but also support cotton farmers and local fabric producers. He also pointed to textile dyes, some of whose raw materials are still imported. The cooperative was initiated by House of Representatives Commission XIII member Rieke Diah Pitaloka, with initial members from Asosiasi Perancang Pengusaha Mode Indonesia. Rieke said the cooperative was formed to build a mutual-help economy focused on the clothing sector, not savings and loans.