The Journey of Pangalengan Dairy Central, Starting from Bandungsche Melk Center

AYOBANDUNG.COM -- Pangalengan in Bandung Regency has long been known as one of the largest dairy centers in Indonesia.

Its popularity dates back to the Dutch colonial era. In the past, there were dairy farms managed by Dutch companies, including De Friesche Terp, Almanak, Van Der Els, and Big Man. These four companies marketed their products together through the Bandungsche Melk Center (BMC).

The products produced by BMC at that time included fresh milk, chocolate milk, ice cream, butter, cheese, and cream. These products were distributed to Bandung and Batavia (now Jakarta) for consumption by non-native people at that time.

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Over time, BMC became more widely known. In 1932, approximately 13,000 liters of milk produced by farmers were processed, pasteurized, and distributed to all BMC customers.

During the Japanese occupation, these companies were destroyed, and the remaining cows were taken care of by the local population. It was during this time that the local community started dairy farming as a family business and to support agriculture.

To increase the population of dairy cows and improve the income of farmers, in 1949, the community formed a cooperative called GAPPSIP (Gabungan Petani Peternak Sapi Indonesia Pengalengan or Indonesian Farmers and Cattle Breeders Association in Pangalengan).

The dairy industry grew rapidly, and from 1949 to 1960, GAPPSIP made significant contributions to the development of the dairy farming industry in Pangalengan.

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However, the economic and political situation in Indonesia worsened in the early 1960s, which affected the development of GAPPSIP. This situation was further aggravated by the emergence of middlemen in milk marketing, and in 1963, GAPPSIP could no longer hold the situation and had to stop all its activities, and milk trading in Pangalengan was taken over by middlemen.

Realizing this, on March 22, 1969, a new cooperative was agreed upon, named KPBS Pangalengan (Koperasi Peternakan Bandung Selatan or Southern Bandung Livestock Cooperative).

Coinciding with the beginning of REPELITA I (Five-Year Development Plan) on April 1, 1969, KPBS Pangalengan was officially established with the support of the Bandung Regency Level II Government, the Governor of West Java, the Director General of Livestock, and UNICEF. On July 8, 1969, KPBS obtained its legal status with Decree No.4353/BH/IX-18.

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With its development, KPBS has improved its services and business aspects by implementing agribusiness and agro-industry models, including supporting household industry businesses. KPBS members receive guidance and support from the Department of Industry of Bandung Regency, with the aim of improving the quality of household industrial products and assisting in marketing them to various regions. (Vincencius Arwy Nullens)