COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis and Its Impact on Cooperatives: A Case from Indonesia

Abstract

This descriptive study aimed to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis on cooperative in Indonesia and to explore crisis mitigation measures (CMMs) they undertake with the reference to saving and loan cooperatives (KSPs). This study was based on a literature study and a survey on 66 KSPs in various cities across the country during September-November 2020. Five forms of impact were found: decreased turnover, total saving dropped, the number of loan applications increased, the volume of their other (secondary) activities declined, and the number of members declined. Of these, the first three forms of impact were the most encountered. Disseminating especially to traditional/village markets to get new members and lowering the loan interest rate were two forms of CMMs which were applied by many respondents. To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first research that examined the transmission channels through which the COVID-19 crisis affected cooperatives, particularly KSPs and how they overcome the crisis.

Keywords: Cooperatives, KSP, COVID-19, CMMs, transmission channels

JEL Classification: D22, H12, H32