DAMPAK KEBIJAKAN TATANIAGA PUPUK TERHADAP PERAN KOPERASI UNIT DESA SEBAGAI DISTRIBUTOR PUPUK

Abstract

Fertilizers marketing policy that have been decided by the government on December 1998 is
aimed at creating opportunity for suppliers or importers to supply and distribute fertilizers for
the farmers. The problem is that the Cooperation of Village Unit Cooperation (KUDs) as
distributors at Lini-IV will compete with supplier or importer who has more capital and good
management. The aim of this paper is to asses the impact of zero subsidies and free market
policy of fertilizers distribution system and the performance of Cooperation of Village Unit
Cooperation (KUDs). This research has been carried out by the Center for Agro-socio
Economic Research (CASER), by taking Karawang and Subang (West Java) as cases. The
primary data were collected from PT. Pusri, SP. Bimas of Department of Agriculture,
Fertilizer Retailers and Cooperation of Village Unit Cooperation (KUDs). The secondary
data were collected from PT. Pusri. The finding of this research shows that, after the
implementation of the policy, fertilizer distribution system becomes shorter (simpler) and
fertilizers are distributed through many channels, so that farmers can buy fertilizers easily and
at relatively low prices. Because of capital constraint, KUDs can not compete with non
Cooperation of Village Unit Cooperation (non-KUDs) distributors. Consequently, the sale of
KUDs fertilizers had decreased, and this condition will disturb the survival of Cooperation of
Village Unit Cooperation (KUDs) as a distributors. In the long run, government must be
aware of the possibility that non Cooperation of Village Unit Cooperation (non-KUDs)
distributors form a cartel and have strong power in fertilizer marketing. To stabilize the
contribution of Cooperation of Village Unit Cooperation (KUDs) as public institution in
fertilizer distribution activity, government needs to empower Cooperation of Village Unit
Cooperation (KUDs) through increasing working capital and coordinating fertilizer
distribution mechanism through Center of Village Unit Cooperation (PUSKUDs).