Caring for Merchant Welfare, IPB University Students Study Market Revitalization in Bogor

IPB University students conducted research related to the impact of the people's market revitalization policy in the city of Bogor in increasing market competitiveness.  This research was passed funded by Kemenristekdikti in the Student Creativity Program in Social Humanities Research (PKM PSH).  This research was conducted by cross-department students at the Faculty of Economics and Management of IPB University.  The team consisted of Widya Syafitri, Karina Dwi Rahmawati and Aditya Anugrah Ramadhan who were guided by Ranti Wiliasih, SP, M.Sc.

Widya, the PKM team leader said that the public market has a strategic role in terms of employment.  In particular the retail sector, the Ministry of Industry and Trade noted that there are 13,450 people's markets throughout Indonesia with 12.6 million traders serving the daily needs of the Indonesian people.

"However, the development of technology-based markets and modern markets threatens the existence of the people's market.  Moreover, the impression of the public market is generally a dirty, dirty, smelly market, and a lot of garbage makes consumer preferences move to alternative modern markets.  This has encouraged the Regional Government of the City of Bogor to issue a market revitalization policy to improve the people's market so as to encourage economic independence.  Based on the results of the study, the existence of revitalization resulted in a decrease in merchant income.  At Gunung Batu Market the average income of traders before the policy is Rp. 1,922,667, then after this policy the average income decreases to Rp.  1,626,000.  The same thing happened to Pasar Kebon Kembang.  We hear the opinions of traders who convey better markets are not good but visitors are crowded than good markets but quiet buyers, "said Widya.

Public market revitalization policies in both Batu Mountain Market and Kebon Kembang Market provide good physical facilities and management management.  But traders feel a decrease in income and an increase in expenses that must be paid so that it can reduce profits, "said Widya.

The team concluded that this revitalization policy was less successful.  Traders expect visitors or buyers to be crowded again and the cost of renting shop houses or dues for selling does not increase continuously even without prior notice.

"In fact, the idea of ??revitalizing the people's market is a good idea.  However, the management system must also be improved so that it can further promote the people's market to the wider community.  "We hope that good coordination can be done by the government and traders in the revitalization process so that the initial goal of improving the welfare of traders can be realized," Widya concluded.  (FI / RIS)