Jakarta, Nov. 1 -- Indonesian Vice Minister of Agriculture Muhammad Saleh Mustafa said the Red and White Village Cooperatives (KDKMP) are crucial to gradually reducing farmers' dependence on middlemen and improving the national rice distribution system.

"Middlemen, locally known as tengkulak , have long been embedded in our farmers' daily economic routines. We plan to gradually address the issue through cooperatives, specifically the KDKMP," Mustafa said here on Saturday (Oct 31).

He said streamlining the distribution chain requires synchronized efforts across the entire ecosystem, from farmers as primary producers to downstream market operators, to ensure supplies reach consumers efficiently.

Mustafa made the statement amid public con...